Angola were the 1999 Cosafa Champions

Madagascar's Scorpions go into the match having beaten their Indian Ocean rivals last October in an African Nations Cup qualifier.

They are looking to use Saturday's game to prepare for an assault on a first-ever place at the Nations Cup finals.

Swiss coach Hans Heiniger has a strong squad for the match, weakened only by the late withdrawal of veteran Fabrice Mosa, who is required by his Reunion club St. Louisienne.

Cosafa Cup 2003 - first round Madagascar v Mauritius Namibia v Botswana Mozambique v Lesotho Zimbabwe v Angola Byes: South Africa, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia

They are playing in a crucial African Champions League preliminary round match.

Ruphin Menakely, who also plays in Reunion, is likely to lead the front line after scoring the winning goals in Madagascar's last two matches - 1-0 wins over Egypt and Mauritius in the Nations Cup qualifiers.

Mauritius have a weakened team after Desire Peritamabee of French side Grenoble and fellow midfielder Sebastien Bax, who plays for South African champions Santos, were refused leave to play by their clubs.

Madagascar win Island battle

Coach Patrick Parizon, formerly in charge of Cote d'Ivoire, has had to select a young side as Mauritius look to beat Madagascar for the first time in 16 years.

Last year the two sides met at the same stage of the competition with Madagascar winning 3-2 despite conceding an early own goal.

The Malagasy side went on to push eventual winners South Africa hard in the quarter-final, succumbing only in a penalty shootout.

Again 12 countries compete in this year's tournament with four sides having byes into the quarterfinals - holders South Africa, last year's runners-up Malawi and the two semi-finalists, Swaziland and Zambia.