Exceeding expectations
Maximum points for Cameroon would open the door for Ivory Coast to also seal a finals slot by completing a double over DR Congo having won 2-1 in Kinshasa.
The Ivorians succeeded in Kinshasa despite Swansea star Wilfried Bony failing to convert a penalty, and they boast a home record of just one loss in 51 qualifiers.
South Africa have impressed under new coach Ephraim 'Shakes' Mashaba, winning in Sudan and Congo and holding bogey team Nigeria at home.
A belief in youth has been a big factor in the Bafana Bafana (The Boys) revival with Mashaba preferring teenage defender Rivaldo Coetzee over 30-year-old Tefu Mashamaite in Congo.
"The first time I coached South Africa against Congo in 1992 we scored once, the second time we scored twice last weekend, so I am hoping for three come Wednesday," said Mashaba.
Strikers Bongani Ndulula and Tokelo Rantie struck the goals that conquered Congo in Pointe-Noire and they are likely to start in a side that has not conceded a goal in three qualifiers.
Gabon visit Burkina Faso with Borussia Dortmund goal-poacher Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in top form and a win coupled with a draw between Angola and Lesotho would qualify the Panthers.
For Senegal or Tunisia to secure a place, one of them must win in Monastir and hope Botswana stun Egypt.
Having being thwarted in Dakar by a packed Tunisian defence, Senegal coach Alain Giresse will hope attackers Papiss Cisse, Sadio Mane and Dame Ndoye can benefit from greater space.
Under-fire Nigeria handler Stephen Keshi, a Cup of Nations winner as a player in 1994 and as a coach in 2013, says there is a conspiracy to ensure he fails.
"There is a sabotage by some people. I won't mention their names but they know themselves. They want to run this team down," he said.
Victory over limited Sudan in Abuja is essential, and Nigeria will probably need wins away to Congo and at home to South Africa during November as well to survive.
A 2-0 victory in Gaborone suggests Egypt can defeat Botswana again and Zambia should end a three-match winless run having held Niger goalless in Niamey.
