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Group Three preview (25.03.2005)
Group leaders Ivory Coast know victory over Benin on Sunday in Abidjan will edge them one step closer to their first World Cup finals.
The Elephants are the only team in Africa`s five qualifying groups to have a two-point margin at the top of the table.
An Ivorian victory on Sunday, and Benin`s Squirrels are yet to avoid defeat away from home, would take the likes of Kolo Toure, Aruna Dindane and Didier Drogba one step closer to Germany 2006.
"We are not interested in just qualifying for the World Cup," an ambitious Drogba told BBC Sport.
"That will not be good enough for us. We have to go there and do our very best."
Drogba makes his competitive return for the Elephants, having missed the 1-0 away win in Benin last October through injury.
Chasing the Ivory Coast are Libya, who lie second, and four-time African champions Cameroon.
The Indomitable Lions trail the Ivorians by four points at the halfway stage of qualifying but host Sudan in Yaounde, with new coach Artur Jorge taking charge of his first competitive match on Sunday.
Jorge took charge in January after Winfried Schafer was sacked for a poor run of results.
Cameroon`s current
position puts them in danger of missing out on their first World Cup finals since 1986.
"It will take a miracle to qualify and it is a herculean task," said a resigned Eric Djemba-Djemba.
Yet Jorge believes Cameroon can win all their remaining group games and qualify for Germany, which makes victory a must on Sunday.
One team that hopes the Portuguese coach is proved wrong is Libya, unbeaten since their opening day defeat to the Ivory Coast last June.
The Libyans arrived in Cairo on Thursday as they prepare to face an Egyptian side with little to play for.
The Pharaohs, who qualify for the 2006 Cup of Nations as hosts, appear to be out of the running for Germany, as they are five points adrift of the group leaders.
Nonetheless, controversial striker Ahmed `Mido` Hossam is recalled to the squad for Sunday`s match.
He apologised to the Egyptian FA for playing a club game a day after missing an international fixture through a feigned injury.
Group fixtures - Cameroon v Sudan (1400 GMT), Ivory Coast v Benin (1600 GMT) and Egypt v Libya (1800 GMT). All games are on Sunday 27 March.
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