Buoyant South Sudan set to make World Cup qualifying debut

The national team was formed only three years ago and celebrated a first competitive victory last month by defeating Equatorial Guinea in an Africa Cup of Nations preliminary tie.

Atak Lual Wol Tong, among the South Sudanese who play in neighbouring Sudan, scored the early second-half goal that created history.

That success has made the 'Bright Star' squad buoyant ahead of a match in Juba against opponents in equally good spirits after a Cup of Nations triumph over South Africa.

"Our dream is to follow the victory over Equatorial Guinea with another win when we host Mauritania," said South Sudan Football Association president Chabur Goc Alei.

"Juba is buzzing with excitement ahead of the game and every South Sudanese wants to see the national team succeed again." 

Chabur says football has a key unifying role to play in a country beset by political power struggles since its 2011 birth that erupted into civil war two years ago.

"Those opposing the government celebrated our victory over Equatorial Guinea. The national team represents South Sudan -- not a particular tribe or political party."

The South Sudan squad is drawn from local clubs, Sudan, Ethiopia, the German fifth tier, the American third level and an Australian regional league.

Several former Sudan internationals have switched allegiance to the land of their birth, including goalkeeper Jumma Ginaro, defenders Richard Justin Lado and Athir Thomas and striker James Moga.

Mauritania believe they can dim the 'Bright Star' after encouraging 2017 Cup of Nations qualifying results under French coach Corentin Martins. 

A last-minute goal in Yaounde robbed the 'Mourabitones' of a Cup of Nations draw against four-time champions Cameroon before they outplayed South Africa in Nouakchott.

The South Sudan-Mauritania qualifier is among 13 involving lower-ranked African national teams to be staged over two legs between Wednesday and next Tuesday. 

Many of the competing teams come from the east of the continent, a region that has never produced a World Cup qualifier.

Tanzania host Malawi in Dar es Salaam, Kenya are away to Mauritius in Bellevue and Seychelles host Burundi in Roche Caiman in other Wednesday fixtures.

The Tanzanian 'Taifa Stars'  have shown a marked improvement this year since former national team star Charles Boniface Mkwasa replaced Mart Nooij from the Netherlands as coach.

But Scot Bobby Williamson continues to disappoint as handler of the Kenyan 'Harambee Stars' and overall defeat by the Mauritian 'M Club' would jeopardise his future.

Portuguese Paulo Torres will guide Guinea-Bissau in Liberia Thursday despite a four-match ban for "offensive language and insults toward the referee" in Zambia four months ago.

The suspension applies to Cup of Nations qualifiers, but not World Cup eliminators.

Violence prevents several teams playing at home with Somalia using Ethiopia for the first leg against Niger and Central African Republic playing Madagascar twice in Antananarivo.