Mark Gleeson BBC Sport Online in Cape Town

Group 11: South Africa v Burundi

Bartlett has been plagued by injury

Bafana Bafana need all the goals they can get on Sunday to ensure they keep a step ahead of rivals Ivory Coast.

But already the South Africans have suffered a setback in their build-up to the match in Bloemfontein with the withdrawal of top striker Shaun Bartlett.

Bartlett, who is South Africa's all-time leading goal scorer, sustained a groin injury while playing for English club Charlton Athletic in a premier league match at Fulham on Sunday.

His withdrawal means South Africa are now without their top three forwards for the match against the East Africans.

Benni McCarthy has not been picked after the South African Football Association suspended him for criticism he levelled at the organisation last month.

Novice strikers

And Italian-based flyer Siyabonga Nomvete is still injured.

South Africa need to build up a store of goals against the Burundians in case they land up on equal points with the Ivorians at the end of their qualifying campaign next July.

Both South Africa and Cote d'Ivoire are expected to win home and away against Burundi in the qualifiers.

But with Bartlett , McCarthy and Nomvete out, South African coach Ephraim Mashaba will now have to rely on home-based strikers, who have scored just four international goals between them.

He is expected to field Patrick Mayo and Jimmy Kauleza, who were the front pairing when South Africa won the Cosafa Castle Cup against Malawi last month.