The five African representatives in the 2006 World Cup in Germany will soon be named. Inas Mazhar reviews the remaining crucial qualifiers In each of the five groups there are still two teams who entertain hopes of reaching the finals -- a total of 10 countries then with massive expectations weighing on their shoulders as the final countdown looms. The only match between direct rivals is at the 7 November stadium at Rades, near Tunis, where Tunisia host Morocco in Group Five . A draw will be enough for Roger Lemerre's side while Morocco needs to win. Badou Ezaki's Moroccan side has headed to Marbella in Spain for their pre-match preparations and their hopes have been boosted by the return from injury of the French-based striker Marouane Chamakh. Seventeen months ago, more than 60,000 spectators saw the Carthage Eagles, win their first ever CAF African Cup of Nations by beating arch-rivals Morocco in the final at Rades Stadium. On Saturday, 8 October, the reigning African champions will be aiming for a repeat performance when they host the Atlas Lions in the same stadium on the last day of African Group Five qualifying as they seek a third successive FIFA World Cup finals appearance. A draw will be enough for Tunisia who lead unbeaten Morocco by a single point in the standings, while the visitors require a victory to reach the world showpiece for the fifth time in their history. Due to the massive interest in this match, Tunisian officials decided to raise ticket prices with the cheapest going for $9.5 -- a record for African football and more than three times the price of the same ticket for Tunisia's final home qualifier against Congo before the 2002 World Cup. However, the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) succeeded in selling 10,000 tickets through the Internet in less than 70 hours. Although the match will be held on African soil, both countries prepare for this highly anticipated fixture in Europe. Lemerre, has decided to take his squad to his native country for a closed training camp. According to the Frenchman, the excitement over the game could have a negative effect on the team. However, the Carthage Eagles have every cause for confidence if they can produce the same level of performance they managed at the FIFA Confederations Cup in June. Ezaki has received some criticism of late, first following his decision to drop former captain Noureddine Naybet from the squad and then after the unconvincing 1-0 victory over Botswana in their last qualifier on 3 September. The local media went as far as suggesting that a technical committee be put in place to help Ezaki with his task, something he refused. "Yesterday, I was their hero and today they want me executed!" Ezaki, the captain of Morocco at Mexico 1986 told his critics. "This is how football is around the world. My only concern now is to win in Rades." Ezaki is happy to welcome back defender Abdesalam Ouaddou and striker Chamakh, both of whom missed the game against Botswana through suspension. He is now trying to convince his players not to fast on the day of the game -- which takes place during the holy month of Ramadan -- to make sure they will be in top condition. For Togo, a draw would be enough to secure qualification in Group One. Their two-point advantage over Senegal means the Hawks can qualify if they draw away at Congo, even if Senegal win their last match at home to neighbours Mali. Togo coach Stephen Keshi has already begun his preparations, although key foreign-based players will only be able to join the group already assembled in Lome next week. For Senegal, quarter-finalists at Korea/ Japan 2002, hopes rest on Congo doing them a major favour. Only Ghana, who would have to suffer a major calamity, is virtually assured of their place in Germany although they must still go through the formalities on 8 October to top their Group Two. The Black Stars, who have fought back from a position of adversity just three months ago, can afford to lose their final qualifying match away in the Cape Verde Islands on Saturday and still claim a berth at the finals, as long as they do not suffer a heavy defeat in the island archipelago and, at the same time, see their only remaining rivals, the Democratic Republic of Congo, win handsomely in South Africa. The Ghana coach, Serbian Ratomir Dujkovic, however, knows all about football's propensity for producing the unexpected. It was two years ago that he led an unheralded Rwanda side to a seemingly improbable win over Ghana in Kigali to earn the conflict-ravaged country a place at the CAF African Cup of Nations for the first time. For the Democratic Republic of Congo, meanwhile, they remain in contention, mathematically at least, and will hope to inflict further punishment on struggling South Africa with a win in Durban. The match has been switched from the altitude of Johannesburg to a more passionate arena at King's Park in Durban, which Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter hopes will galvanise his players. The preparations for the Congolese have begun already in the southern city of Lubumbashi where 13 locally based players have gathered. Congo's French coach Claude LeRoy took a larger group to Chililabombwe last weekend for a friendly with Zambia which ended in a 2-2 draw and saw yet another convincing performance from new midfield sensation Zola Matumona. Cameroon stand by in Group Three to set a new standard for African football after their heroics in Abidjan last month. Achille Webo's hat-trick in the 3-2 away win over previous group leaders Ivory Coast has turned the Spanish-based striker into the country's new hero and sent confidence levels soaring in the Indomitable Lions' camp ahead of Egypt's visit to Yaounde. Cameroon will qualify for an African record sixth FIFA World Cup finals appearance if they beat the Egyptians; if they fail to win, the Ivory Coast could yet overhaul them. The Ivorians are still shell-shocked after having a finals place snatched away from them by Cameroon in a thrilling qualifier but are still praying Egypt can do them a favour as they travel to Khartoum seeking to beat Sudan. Severe criticism of key players like Didier Drogba and Bonaventure Kalou has left a sour taste in the mouths of some of the squad and the Elephants will have to do without the suspended Arthur Boka and Marc Zoro, while goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie is still injured. They will first train in Egypt for a few days before heading to Sudan. Egypt coach Hassan Shehata has named a 28- man squad for their qualifier away to Cameroon in Yaoundé on 8 October. Angola have already left their home country as they focus on the task of taking three points against Rwanda in Kigali in their Group Four qualifier. If the Palancas Negras win, they will finish first irrespective of the result in the match between second-placed Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Both sides have 18 points but Angola enjoy a better head-to-head record. Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves will try out some new players from clubs in Portugal and France in a friendly against Portuguese club Boavista this week. As for Nigeria, they welcome back captain Jay-Jay Okocha.
