Top spot and capital draw Angola's goal

The hosts need a point to qualify for the quarter-finals, but a win against Algeria would guarantee them top spot in Group A and no need to travel out.

The hosts Angola need a point tonight to qualify for the quarter-finals, but a win against Algeria would guarantee them top spot in Group A and mean they can stay in the capital Luanda for the last-eight match. Their captain Kali says they are confident of achieving that goal. "We did not sleep well after the Mali match but we have now shown our strength," said Kali, in reference to the opening game of the competition, which saw them squander a 4-0 lead to draw 4-4. "Algeria will be tough to beat but we have high morale in our camp."

The coach Manuel Jose added: "I thought we played as well against Mali as we did against Malawi [a 2-0 win in the second match]. The only difference was us gifting all those goals in the last minutes of our first game. "The feeling now is so much better and to be first in the group would be our first choice." However, Angola may have to do without their top-scorer Flavio Amado, who limped off in the last game with a hamstring problem.

The Algeria manager Rabah Saadane, meanwhile, believes his World Cup-bound side are right back in the competition after the 1-0 win over Mali. It was a good response following their opening match humbling, which saw them thumped 3-0 by minnows Malawi. Saadane said: "The win has given the perfect answer to all our critics. I did my calculations before and six points should be enough to qualify." Mali go into their make-or-break tie against Malawi without the suspended Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra.

Despite staging the greatest comeback in the 53-year history of the competition in that opening 4-4 draw, Mali's tournament will end unless they can overcome a confident Malawi side and Angola win against Algeria. * With agencies Angola v Algeria & Malawi v Mali, 8pm, Aljazeera Sport + 9