In-form Salah adjusts sights to World Cup as Egypt aim for top

get their campaign back on track.  

The record seven-time African champions face surprise Group F leaders Libya at home and away and need at least four points to take over first place ahead of the final two rounds during November.

Only the 10 group winners advance to the final qualifying round and Egypt and fellow first seeds Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo have catching-up to do. 

Here, AFP Sport looks at the situation in each group with 41 matchday two, three and four qualifiers scheduled for seven days from Wednesday.

Group A

Riyad Mahrez-captained reigning African champions Algeria have an impressive home record against Niger in World Cup qualifying, scoring 10 unanswered goals in two matches.

Another convincing home win is on the cards for a team boasting an African record 29-match unbeaten run, but second-place Burkina Faso are likely to remain level on points with Algeria by defeating Djibouti.

Group B

Table-toppers Tunisia have won all four previous World Cup qualifiers against Mauritania and there is nothing to suggest they will not extend that perfect record in Rades.

A Tunisian side captained by Saint-Etienne’s Wahbi Khazri and coached by Mondher Kebaier enter the match boosted by two impressive victories while the Mauritanians have disappointed when losing twice.

Group C

It is difficult to imagine any result in Lagos other than a comfortable victory for leaders Nigeria over the Central African Republic, who will lack unavailable Atletico Madrid midfielder Godfrey Kondogbia.