From BBC Sports

The group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers begins on Friday as 28 countries chase 15 places at January’s finals, hoping to join hosts Morocco.

Much of the build-up has been dominated by uncertainty over the venues of several ties due to the deadly Ebola virus.

The Confederation of African Football ordered Guinea and Sierra Leone to move their home ties to neutral venues because of the outbreak of the disease in the two countries.

Guinea have moved their Group E tie against Togo to the Moroccan city of Casablanca.

The ‘hosts’ have been hit by several injuries to France-based players including Florentin Pogba, who is the older brother of France international Paul Pogba.

Friday’s 2015 qualifiers

• Sudan v South Africa (1700GMT)
• Guinea v Togo (in Casablanca 1900GMT)
• Senegal v Egypt (2000GMT)

He picked up a calf injury in Saint Etienne’s 5-0 thrashing at the hands of French champions Paris Saint Germain on Sunday.

Also missing are Lorient midfielder Abdoulaye Sadio Diallo and Lyon forward Mohamed Lamine Yattara.

Togo have been boosted by the return to international duty of striker Emmanuel Adebayor after an 18-month absence.

The Tottenham Hotspur striker, 30, refused call-ups for World Cup qualifiers last year following a spat with then coach Didier Six after the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

In June, the Frenchman was replaced by his former assistant Tchakala Tchanile.

The other two teams in the group Ghana and Uganda meet in Kumasi on Saturday.

Also on Friday is a first ever meeting between Sudan and visiting South Africa in Group A.

Bafana Bafana’s new coach Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba will have to do without goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, who has a foot injury.

Read more at BBC Sports