In Zambia, national team first choice goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene told Kickoff that he  believes the draw has presented the Chipolopolo Boys with a chance of making history by qualifying for their first-ever World Cup.

"This is a really fair draw for us because we expected it to be much tougher than this. It usually becomes difficult when you have two countries from West Africa in your group,” Mweene said.

"Obviously we respect every team that we will meet because there is always something good about them that has made them go this far. The most dangerous team is Rwanda because we don’t know anything about them.

"Algeria, being from North Africa, will also be more like Egypt in their mobile play so we have an idea about what makes them tick.

"Ever since I started playing in the senior national team we have not lost to Egypt and I just hope it continues that way. I know Egypt must be worried about us.

Egypt

As the race for the final phase of African qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup finals goes in the homes stretch several nations have pinned their hopes in beating Rwanda’s Amavubi Stars.

Speaking to Arabic television channel, Al-Jazeera, Egypt’s coach Hassan Shehata stressed that winning away from home will be a key factor in securing World Cup qualification.

"It’s logical that any team willing to qualify should win all their home ties, that is why the away games will be very important,” Shehata told Sports World program.

The man who, the North African media sometimes refer to as The Master stressed that all teams will pose the same threat to Egypt, adding that Algeria won’t be his team’s only contenders.

"In general it’s not an easy group, but we won’t be just focusing on Algeria and I’m sure they will do the same,” Shehata was quoted by Egypt’s Filgoal website.

The draw pitched Amavubi Stars against Egypt, Zambia and Algeria in group C of the final qualifications round.

Egypt will start their final qualification campaign at home to Zambia. While the Amavubi Stars open their campaign on March 28, 2009 at home to Algeria, travel to Zambia on June 6 before winding the first leg matches with a daunting away tie against Egypt on June 20.

The last time Egypt reached the World Cup they defeated Algeria thanks to Hossam Hassan goal en route Italia 1990. The match was witnessed by a record crowd of 120,000 in the giant Cairo stadium.

Egypt became the first African team to participate in the Fifa World Cup in 1934.

The coach of the reigning African champions said ahead of the draw at Fifa headquarters that he would prefer to dodge Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia when the 20 survivors were split into five groups on Wednesday.

Moral is very high in the Pharaohs’ camp after the draw that many pundits have labeled favorable to the six time African champions.

Before the draw Egyptian goal ace Amr Zaki who has set the premiership alight said that he is not worried by any of the teams in the draw for the final round of African qualifying for the 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations.

"Egypt are very optimistic they can make it to the World Cup because we have already proven capable of overcoming any team in Africa,” the Wigan striker said.

Algeria

The Algerian fans are unsurprisingly keen for a return to those days when the Fennecs stunned West Germany, Spain during the Fifa World Cup finals in 1982.

But despite their 22-year absence from world football’s showpiece event, with 1986 marking their last appearance, their national side look to be finding their feet again slowly on the continent.

The team has had 34 coaches since independence in 1962, however, and the much-anticipated renaissance is unlikely to happen without a little stability in the dugout.

Ends