THE PREDICTOR: Can Uganda shake off qualifier jinx?

Record seven-time champions Egypt and first-time qualifiers Guinea-Bissau, with Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Zimbabwe and hosts Gabon among 10 countries who have booked places at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. This weekend will define the final six.

Friday, September 02, 2016

AFCON QUALIFIERSRecord seven-time champions Egypt and first-time qualifiers Guinea-Bissau, with Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Zimbabwe and hosts Gabon among 10 countries who have booked places at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. This weekend will define the final six.

SATURDAYC. Verde 3-1 Libya 4pmIslanders Cape Verde are bidding for the third straight finals appearance but they have to do it as one of two best-second place teams because Morocco already topped Group F.

I. COAST 2-2 S. LEONE 8pmNigeria became the first champions to fail to qualify to defend their crown in 2015 and Ivory Coast risk joining them on the unpallatable locker room if they fail to beat Sierra Leone at home tonight. By the time the defending champions take to the pitch, Gabon would probably be smarting at the top of the table if they beat Sudan in Khartoum. And the Ivorians would lose even second place if they lose. I see a draw.

SUNDAYUganda 1-1 COMOROS 4PmA win of any kind will exorcise the ghost that has haunted Uganda since 1978, but Comoros are playing for pride. The gutsy 1-0 win in corresponding fixture means this is a close tie.

OTHER FIXTURESEthiopia 2-0 SYCHELLESCamEROON 4-0 GAMBIAANGOLA 2-1 MADAGASCARGHANA 5-1 RWANDANIGERIA 1-1 TANZANIAMozambique 0-0 MAURITIUSSENEGAL 5-0 NAMIBIAB. FASO 3-1 BOTSWANAMALAWI 1-2 SWAZILANDZAMBIA 0-0 KENYAE. GUINEA 1-0 S. SudanCONGO 1-3 G. BISSAUDR CONGO 2-1 CARGUINEA 0-2 ZIMBABWETUNISIA 2-0 LIBERIATOGO 3-1 DJIBOUTI