By Ibrahim Sannie BBC Sport

Steven Keshi is hoping to lead Togo to victory over Zambia

Togo host Zambia in a match that could help sort out the top of Group One of the 2006 World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifiers this weekend.

The two sides are locked at the top of the group along with Senegal, all three sides have 13 points from their six matches.

The crucial tie sees two friends and former players coming face-to-face as Nigerian coach Steven Keshi leads Togo while Zambia are coached by Kalusha Bwalaya.

During their playing careers the duo helped their countries to the final of the 1994 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia which Keshi won as Nigeria beat Zambia 2-0.

GROUP ONE FIXTURES Mali v Liberia (Sat 1700 GMT) Congo v Senegal (Sun 1430 GMT) Togo v Zambia (Sun 1530 GMT)

The two sides have already met in this group with Kalusha gaining a measure of revenge as Zambia side beat Togo 1-0 in Chililabombwe.

Togo are a strong side at home having won all three games so far including a 3-1 victory over World Cup quarter-finalists Senegal.

The other side on 13 points, Senegal, have made several changes to the squad that thrashed Liberia 6-1 in March as they travel play a Congo side who have only lost to Zambia at home .

Aliou Cisse is back in the Senegal squad

The Teranga Lions' coach Guy Stephane has been forced to leave out striker Babacar Gueye, midfielder Amdy Faye as well as defenders Omar Daf and Souleymane Diawara who are injured.

Salif Diao, who has played little football for Premiership side Birmingham City this season, has been dropped.

Coming into squad are former national captain Aliou Cisse and Ferdinand Coly, who last played for his country at the 2004 African Cup of Nations finals in Tunisia.

Senegal's opponents Congo are currently in fourth place and need a win to stay in touch with the top three which would guarantee them a place at the Nations Cup finals in Egypt.

The other game in the group is a bottom of the table clash between Mali and Liberia.

The Eagles, who were fourth at the 2004 Nations Cup in Tunisia, are bottom of the group with just two points from their six matches while Liberia are two points ahead of them.

Liberia travel to Bamako with a squad made up entirely of home-based players as the government refuses to give the team any financial backing saying the Lone Star have no chance of qualifying for either the World Cup or Nations Cup.

Their predicament has been worsened by a rift between the sports ministry and the Liberia Football Association, (LFA) over the appointment of coach Franck Jericho Nagbe.

"We are taken aback by the LFA appointment of Mr Nagbe without going through the procedure and hence finds this action uncompromising," a letter from the Sports ministry read.