25 March 2011
We will bring you live coverage of all the goals as they go in around the continent on both Saturday and Sunday!
Video: 2012 Nations Cup Qualifiers Preview
– Chad v Botswana, 26 March, Ndjamena
– Malawi v Togo, 26 March, Blyantyre
Botswana will qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time on Sunday if they beat Chad in the Group K game in Ndjamena.
The Zebras will also be the first country to qualify for the tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea even ahead of giants like Ghana and Ivory Coast.
Botswana are shock group leaders with 13 points, having beaten every opponent except Malawi whom they played to a goalless draw.
They struggled to beat Chad 1-0 in their first clash in Gaborone last year and Stanley Tshosanes charges are hoping to complete a double.
But some players are unavailable for the Zebras as Sekhana Koko did not travel to Chad because of work commitments while Pontsho Moloi is injured.
The Zebras will also rely on captain Mompati Thuma, South African-based duo of Dipsy Selolwane and Mogogi Gabonamong to upstage Chad.
Coach Tshosane is confident that his team will play according to his game plan to secure the three points in Ndjamena.
“We have been doing well all along and I believe that my boys will remain focused,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malawi will be seeking to beat Togo to improve their chances of getting the groups other ticket to the tournament.
The Flames are one point behind second-placed Tunisia and have one game in hand ahead of Sunday match against Togo in Blyantyre.
They face a wounded Togolese side who are still without striker Emmanuel Adebayor who is on a self-imposed international exile.
In-form Rennes striker Razak Boukhari, who tormented Ghana defenders in a friendly in Belgium last month, makes the trip Malawi.
The two sides drew their first clash in Lome in July last year but Togo have since revamped their squad with many young players While Malawi are the favourites for the game they are expected to struggle without captain Peter Mponda who is sidelined for eight months after damaging knee ligaments.
But striker Chiukepo Msowoya, who has scored four goals for Malawi so far in the qualifiers, is confident that they will triumph over the Togolese.
The South-Africa based player insists he is not surprised that Malawi and Botswana are bossing the group that includes former World Cup finalists Togo and Tunisia.
“The standard of the so-called smaller countries has improved and they are getting better and better,” Msowoya said. Unlike the rest of the qualifying groups, two teams go through from Group K since it is the only one with five separate nations.
Join My MTNFootball now you can make friends, join groups, have discussions and upload your own photos! Its all there! Its a great new way to interact with fellow footie fans online. Click here to register now.
