Both Mozambique and Madagascar attempt to wipe away the cobwebs after their failure in the World Cup preliminaries last year and return to a winning trail in the first round of the Cosafa Castle Cup in Maputo on Sunday.
Both will be introducing several new players to the national team, and have new coaches in charge of their team.
The Egyptian Ayman Elyiamany, who was on the technical staff of Mali’s side when they reached the semifinals of the African Nations Cup finals in Tunisia 10 years ago, is the new coach of Mozambique’s Mambas.
He had his first game in charge of the national side last Sunday when they beat Swaziland 2-0 in Namaacha in a warm-up international.
Odon Michel Razafintsalama takes charge of the Madagascar side, devoid of their foreign-based players.
The Mambas were eliminated by Guinea in the World Cup qualifiers in November, losing 3-5 on aggregate over two legs, and now have only the Cosafa Castle Cup as official competition until 2006 when they can try again in the qualifiers for the 2008 Nations Cup.
Madagascar lost controversially to Benin at the same time and also have a large void looming in their calendar unless they progress in the annual southern African championship.
Elyiamany has taken over from the Russian Viktor Bondarenko as coach of Mozambique but on a caretaker basis. He was formerly the coach of the Mozambican junior teams and has promoted many players from the under-20 side up to the national team.
But the new coach will still be relying on the experience of striker Tico-Tico and other four other players from clubs in neighbouring South Africa.
Mozambique have also recalled defender Dario Khan and midfielder Gabito, who now play for Al Hilal in Sudan. They were in the Al Hilal side who scored a surprise 1-0 win in Cairo last Saturday over Al Ahli in the African Champions League.
Missing from the Mozambican team will be Paito and Dario. Paito has not been released by Sporting Lisboa and Dario, now playing in the United Arab Emirates, is also needed by his club this weekend, Elyiamany said.
'We have prepare well for the match and we will be taking an attacking approach to the game. We have done the work," the new coach said.