Seeking the semis DEFENDING champions Ahli of Egypt hope to go to the semi-finals of the African Champions League when they meet Asec Mimosas of the Ivory Coast in the final game of the group stage. With one match remaining, Ahli are tied with Hilal of Sudan on nine points each, Asec have seven and Esperance of Tunisia four. Hilal are atop the group because of a better record in head-to-head clashes. Hilal lost to Ahli 2-0 in the first leg but bounced back in Omdurman to win 3-0. The clash between Ahli and Asec, in Cairo on Sunday, takes place the same day that Hilal will play Esperance in Tunisia. The two top teams in the group will enter the semis. World Cup qualifiers FIFA has announced that the first African qualifying matches for the 2010 World Cup will take place in October. Ten teams will meet on 13 October in the first leg of home-and- away knockout matches. The return legs are scheduled for 17 November. In the opening fixtures Seychelles will face Djibouti, Sierra Leone take on Guinea-Bissau while Central African Republic play Sao Tome and Principe. In the other matches Somalia will play Swaziland while Madagascar take on Comoros. In all, 52 African teams are vying for five spots in the finals. South Africa as host qualifies automatically for the 32- team tournament. Winners of the knockout matches will gain a berth in the second African qualification round. The best 20 teams in that round will be drawn in five qualification groups, the winner of each clinching a spot in the World Cup finals.
