Senegal will be boosted by the return of El Hadji Diouf

Star striker El Hadji Diouf could end his short-lived retirement from international football on Saturday when Senegal face Mali in Paris.

Diouf, absent from a 3-1 win over Guinea last month in another friendly after reportedly quitting the Teranga Lions over various grievances, has been included in a 26-strong squad.

However, the twice African Footballer of the Year, faces a late fitness test as Senegal continue preparations for the biennial Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana during January and February.

Mali will miss star performer, Sevilla striker Frederic Kanoute, owing to a right calf strain that keeps him sidelined for two weeks and considerably reduces the fire power of the Eagles.

Angola, South Africa and Tunisia, drawn in the same group as Senegal, will also be in action on Saturday as many top African nations take advantage of the European club break to get precious practice.

The toughest task faces Angola, who tackle Ivory Coast, a country many observers believe will win the Nations Cup next year after losing the previous final to hosts Egypt on penalties.

Never shy to experiment, long-serving Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves has included four uncapped players and recalled injury plagued Felisberto 'Gilberto' Amaral from African Champions League runners-up Al Ahly of Egypt.

The newcomers, midfielders Adao and Dede and strikers Machado and Diangi Matusiwa, were spotted by Goncalves in the Netherlands and Portugal as he scoured Europe seeking talent for the Palancas Negros (Black Antelopes).

South Africa, hosts of the next World Cup in 2010, have a score to settle with the United States in Johannesburg having been humbled 4-0 in their only previous meeting.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who led his native Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title in the United States, is furious that a full South African league programme was staged just 72 hours before the Nelson Mandela Challenge.

"I do not understand why there are league games. There is no co-operation. It looks like league fixtures are more important than the national team," fumed Parreira.

Goals have been a scarce South Africa commodity with just two in the last five matches and Parreira hopes the return from injury of Germany-based striker Sibusiso Zuma can assist the often-isolated Benni McCarthy.

John Utaka will miss Nigeria's friendly against Australia

Nigeria suffered a double blow ahead of a game against Australia in London when Portsmouth strikers Nwankwo Kanu, another two-time African Footballer of the Year, and John Utaka were ruled unfit.

France-born Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre gives a first call-up to US Monastir defender Salah Mzali for the home friendly against shock Nations Cup qualifiers Namibia.

But he resisted the temptation to include any weary players from Etoile Sahel, who stunned Al Ahly last weekend to become the third Tunisian winners of the African Champions League.

Ghana continue extensive preparations under French coach Claude le Roy by staging a four-nation tournament with semi-finals on Saturday and Sunday and the final next Wednesday.

Benin, another surprise inclusion in the Nations Cup line-up, face Togo in Accra followed 24 hours later by four-time African champions Ghana against the United Arab Emirates.

Much-travelled France-born Morocco coach Henri Michel gives a first call-up to midfielder Abderrahmane Kabous from Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia for a match against France in the Stade de France on Friday.