Algeria will face off against Mali in its final game of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers group stage Tuesday.
Algeria has already clinched the top spot in Group H and will be headed to the playoff round where it will be drawn into a matchup with another group winner. The other contestants include Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Ghana.
Algeria is looking to book a second straight trip to the tournament after putting up a solid performance in the 2010 iteration. In that tournament, Algeria was drawn into a group that included the U.S., England and Slovenia. The team lost 1-0 against Slovenia in its opener before drawing 0-0 with England. Against the United States, Algeria seemed likely to eliminate the Americans but a 91st minute goal from Landon Donovan put the Americans through and left Algeria with only one point in the group stage.
Algeria has put up four wins and one loss thus far in qualifying; the lone defeat came in Mali on June 10, 2012.
Mali had a solid qualifying tournament with two wins, two draws and one loss. The team has eight points and would have been in a fight for first if it had not drawn in its last two qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda.
Prediction: Algeria has little to play for but will give its fans something to cheer about. Expect an open game with lots of chances and a 1-0 Algerian victory at the end of the day.
Start Time 3:30 p.m. EST
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