Johannesburg (AFP) - Tunisia, Senegal and Morocco are well placed to complete the five-nation African line-up for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Nigeria and Egypt secured their Finals places over the weekend with home victories over Zambia and Congo Brazzaville respectively, leaving eight countries in the hunt for the other three slots.
Tunisia or the Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo can qualify from Group A and likewise for Morocco or the Ivory Coast from Group C.
All four Group D teams - Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde and South Africa - can win the mini-league.
AFP sport analyses the Africa zone qualifying competition ahead of the final fixtures from Nov 6-14:
1) Group A
Tunisia need one point from a home fixture against North African neighbours Libya to secure a fifth World Cup appearance and their first since 2006.
It is a task well within the capabilities of the "Carthage Eagles", who are unbeaten in five qualifiers while Libya have lost four.
Should Tunisia suffer a shock loss and DR Congo defeat Guinea at home, first place in the group will be decided by goal difference.
2) Group B
When Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria and Zambia were placed together, no one could have imagined that the "Group of Death" would be settled before the final round.
Algeria were the most impressive African performers at the 2014 World Cup, taking eventual champions Germany to extra time, while gritty Cameroon won the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
But Nigeria made a flying start, taking six points from two matches while all their rivals stumbled, and were six points ahead of second-placed Zambia when they sealed top spot.
3) Group C
Morocco have a one-point lead over the Ivory Coast and travel to West Africa for a pressure-packed showdown that will determine which country will go to Russia.
The pressure is on Ivory Coast as they must win, having been held 0-0 in Mali at the weekend and the "Elephants" were overtaken when Morocco thumped Gabon 3-0 in Casablanca.
Morocco last competed at a World Cup in 1998 and are banking on former Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard to end a run of four failed qualifying campaigns.
4) Group D
Although all four teams can finish first, 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists Senegal are sitting pretty with a two-point lead and a game in hand over their two nearest challengers, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde, who are both on six points.
The Senegalese need two points from away and home fixtures against bottom side South Africa, who are on four points, to secure a second appearance at the global football showpiece.
South Africa beat Senegal 2-1 last November only for the result to be annulled and a replay ordered when world football's governing body Fifa found Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey guilty of match manipulation.
5) Group E
Egypt snatched a dramatic 2-1 home win over Congo Brazzaville at the weekend to book a World Cup place 27 years after last featuring in the competition.
Following many heart-breaking qualification failures, the "Pharaohs" must have feared the worst when Congo levelled with two minutes of regular time left in Alexandria.
But Liverpool star Mohamed Salah calmly converted a penalty five minutes into stoppage-time to win the game and give Egypt an unassailable four-point advantage over Uganda.
