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International friendly previews (27.04.2004)
Zaki is looking forward to facing the South American giants
Several African teams continue their preparations for June`s World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday with friendly matches across Africa and Europe.
There are eight games in total with the biggest expected to be Casablanca where Cup of Nations finalists Morocco take on Argentina.
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Morocco v Argentina, Casablanca
Morocco hope to use the match against Argentina to help promote their bid to host the 2010 World Cup.
"This is a great opportunity for us to show our skills in the game and in organising major events," a senior Moroccan football federation official said.
Morocco are expected to field most of the players that helped the team reach the Cup of Nations final in February.
Up to 70,000 supporters are expected to fill Casablanca`s Mohammed V stadium to see the Atlas Lions take on the two-time world champions.
Coach Badou Zaki said: "It`s a great experience for us to face such a big gun team, it will help us assess our level."
Captain Noureddine Naybet returns after missing Morocco`s last international, a 3-1 win over Angola in March.
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Ghana v Angola, Accra
Ghana coach Mariano Barreto has called-up a predominantly home-based squad.
The only overseas-based players are Ajax Amsterdam`s Anthony Obodai and John Mensah of Italian Serie A side Modena.
Stephen Appiah of Juventus, Sammy Kuffour of Bayern Munich and Olympic Lyon`s Michael Essien have not been included.
Barreto told BBC Sport that he left the players out so they could concentrate on their club commitments.
The match will act as a warm up for both teams who start their World Cup qualifying campigns in June.
Ghana meet Burkina Faso in their first qualifier while Angola face Algeria.
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Guingamp (France) v Senegal, Guingamp
Senegal will field an experimental squad for the match against the French first division side.
Coach Guy Stephan has left out the likes of El Hadji Diouf, Salif Diao and Aliou Cisse, who all have club commitments in England.
Amdy Faye returns to the team after missing the Cup of Nations due to injury.
Also back are Lens midfielder Pape Sarr, Sedan winger Moussa Ndiaye and Guingamp striker Souleymane Camara, all of whom played at the 2002 World Cup finals.
But Stephan has also included three new faces, which suggests he is looking to the future.
Dino Djiba and Mamadou Gueye are both teenagers who have broken into the first team at French club Metz, while Nicholas Ndione from AS Douanes, is the top scorer in the Senegalese league.
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Bulgaria v Cameroon, Sofia
Lauren has patched up his differences with the Cameroon FA
Lauren Etame Mayer makes his
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long-awaited return to the Indomitable Lions for Wednesday`s match.
Lauren, who plays for English Premiership side Arsenal, quit the national team after their poor performance at the 2002 World Cup.
But coach Winfried chaefer has convinced the defender to return.
Two other Europe-based players, Pierre Wome and Joseph Désiré Job also return to the team.
Job missed the Cup of Nations through injury while Wome ruled himself out because of a feud with the country`s football officials.
Schafer has named just one new cap, Ze Meyong, who plays for Setubal in Portugal.
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Algeria v China, Clermont Ferrand, France
Algeria`s caretaker coach Rabah Sadane has named two new players for the match against China in the French city.
Defender Nadir Belhadj and France-born midfielder Salah Bakour are both in line to win their first caps.
Belhadj plays for French second division side Guegnon, while Bakour is with Caen in the same division.
The pair are among 13 other European-based players who will take part in the match.
Sadane, who resigned as Algeria boss after leading the Desert Foxes to the quarter-finals of the Cup of Nations, will be in charge while the team awaits the arrival of new coach Robert Waseige.
The Belgian was released by his club Charleroi on Tuesday.
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Tunisia v Mali, Sfax
The 2004 Cup of Nations winners will be weakened for the match in Sfax.
Several players who helped them to the title in February, including midfielder Slim Benachour and defender Khalid Badra are out of contention.
But coach Roger Lemerre has named three new players, defenders Seif Ghezal and Majdi Traoui, both from from Etoile Sahel and Zied Bhairi from champions Esperance in his squad.
Lemerre says that his side is in need of a win following their 2-0 loss at home to the Ivory Coast in March.
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Ivory Coast v Guinea, Aix-Les-Bains, France
Ivory Coast coach Henri Michel has named a squad of Europe-based professionals for the match against Guinea.
Michel has largely kept faith with the group that beat reigning African champions Tunisia 2-0 in March.
There is still no place for veteran striker Ibrahima Bakayoko but five new players are in the 21-man squad.
In come goalkeeper Boubacar Barry, midfielders Guy Demel, Marco Ne and Yaya Toure as well as striker Bakary `Baky` Kone.
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Namibia v Botswana, Windhoek
Namibia play their first match of the year when they host neighbours Botswana.
The fixture will also be a debut for new coach Max Johnson, who only has locally-based players to call on.
The match will act as a warm up for Namibia`s Cosafa Cup match against Angola in Luanda next month.
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