The first qualifier from the African Zone for 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany may emerge from the game kicking off at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on Sunday. In what is the game of the weekend in this zone, group 3 leaders Cote D’Ivoire take on second placed Cameroon, with the home side able to take their place in Germany, with a game to go, if they can manage a win against their old rivals.

Cote D’Ivoire have been the pacesetters ever since their one and only defeat so far, in July 2004, when they lost 2-0 away against guess who? Cameroon. The fact of this defeat, and a historical footballing rivalry between the two countries in which Cameroon have traditionally held the upper hand, means that Sunday’s game comes with an added psychological hurdle for the Ivorians to overcome.

Of course they are fortunate to hold a few trump cards amongst their squad. From front to back the spine of the team is a good mixture of youth and experience combined with power and flair. With Chelsea striker Didier Drogba available to provide his muscular presence in attack alongside Anderlechts’ mercurial hitman Aruna Dindane, or emerging star Bakari ‘Baky’ Kone, Lorient’s Ligue 2 Player of the Year, goals have not proved a problem for the Elephants’ during this campaign. In fact they have only failed to score on two occasions. Unfortunately, one of those fruitless performances came in their defeat against Cameroon.

In midfield they have the reliable, ball-winning physicality of St Etiennes’ Didier Zakora, combined with the passing prowess of Auxerres’ Bonaventure Kalou, the third African to appear alongside Essien and Beye in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year. In defence they can rely upon the tough tackling and strong forward runs of Arsenals’ Abib Kolo Toure, and the reliability of veteran goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie, the man between the sticks at club level for Tunisian side Esperance.

Cameroon also approach the match with their fair share of quality players. Lead from the front by Samuel Eto’o, Barcelona’s star striker has been a significant factor in the recent resurgence of the Catalan side, playing a pivotal role in their La Liga campaign, won this year for the first time since 1999. Lilles’ Jean Il Makoun is the conduit through which everything passes in midfield. Alongside him Chelseas’ Geremi combines pace and flair with dangerous dead ball potential.

Cameroons’ captain, Rigobert Song brings vast experience and inspirational leadership to the Indomitable Lions, with Thimothee Atouba the Hamburg left back, signed this summer from Tottenham Hotspur, playing alongside him. The Espanyol goalkeeper, Idris Carlos Kameni, is widely considered to be the best African shot stopper currently playing.

Cameroon will still have a possibility of qualification if Sunday’s game were to end in a draw - and they are notorious for eleventh-hour qualification heroics in campaigns gone by. However, with Cote D’Ivoire playing away to bottom placed Sudan, a team they have already beaten 5-0, and Cameroon facing a potentially tricky home encounter with third placed Egypt, it would require a considerably optimistic outlook to consider such a policy.

With two such closely matched, high quality sides and so much at stake, Sunday should be a fantastic encounter. Cote D’Ivoire dare not lose, and Cameroon really have to win. Something has to give. The prospect is simply mouth-watering.

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