Soccer-African national teams head off on friendly assignments

African countries will use the second part of the expanded ​international window for added practice after completing the opening two rounds ​of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Benin and Burkina ‌Faso ​are heading to Argentina. The Burkinabe face the World Cup runners-up on Saturday while Benin feature in Lionel Messi's farewell international next Tuesday with 85,000 expected at Buenos Aires' Estadio Monumental to say goodbye to ‌the eight-times Ballon d'Or winner.

“We’re going to have a bit of a party with Messi. But we’ll still try to play the role of party poopers a little, because that also gives us some enjoyment. We’re not going there to concede a lot of goals,” said Benin coach Gernot Rohr. His side ‌drew at Burkina Faso and then beat Mauritania in their opening two Group F qualifiers for the 2027 Cup of Nations finals to ‌be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Gambia, whose come-from-behind 4-2 win away to Ghana on Tuesday ranks among their greatest triumphs, have an equally long journey to Bolivia where they will play in Santa Cruz. Namibia, who beat Congo but lost to Comoros over the last week, take on Russia, who are suspended from UEFA competition, in Ekaterinburg on Saturday.

Nigeria, ⁠who suffered ​a 3-0 loss in Guinea Bissau ⁠on Tuesday, will also travel to take on the Russians in Nizhny Novgorod, one of the 2018 World Cup venues. Tunisia cancelled Saturday's friendly against Mali as their poor form ⁠as this year’s World Cup spilled over into the Cup of Nations qualifiers, where they were held to draws by Uganda and Botswana in their opening two ​group matches, both at home.

GHANA PLUNGED INTO CRISIS Mali will now play Morocco, who were originally due to host Ghana in Tangier on ⁠Saturday. Ghana cited a list of injuries for pulling out of the fixture but have been plunged into crisis after losing their opening two Cup of Nations qualifiers.

South Africa stay in ⁠Cairo ​after beating Eritrea 5-0 in the capital on Wednesday and have a friendly with Egypt on Sunday. There is keen interest but no clarity yet on whether Mohamed Salah will play after leaving the Egypt camp ahead of Tuesday’s qualifier in South Sudan, which his side won 5-0.

Salah ⁠and Nice centre-back Mohamed Abdelmonem, recently returned from a lengthy knee injury, asked to skip the trip to Juba for fears of injury ⁠on the artificial turf but coach Hossam ⁠Hassan said they would come back for Sunday’s friendly. Senegal, who have made changes in personnel in two games under new coach Patrick Vieira, have a friendly against Comoros in Marseille, where there is a large community ‌from the Indian Ocean ‌islands. Many of the Comoros players are Marseille-born.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in ​Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris)