Gaborone (Botswana), Aug 30 (IANS): Botswana's national football team have intensified preparations for their upcoming final group match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa next month.

The 'Zebras' visit their neighbours Sep 7 for Group A's final game which may determine who progresses to the third round. The group could have been wrapped up back in June but it became open after FIFA penalised Ethiopia for fielding a suspended player in a match against Botswana which they won, resulting in Ethiopia being ducked off three points and two goals, which were awarded to Botswana, reports Xinhua.

The decision made the group wide open again and all the top three teams now have a chance of qualifying. Botswana currently lies third with seven points, three behind leaders Ethiopia and a point behind second placed South Africa.

Botswana will have to beat South Africa with a score margin of two goals while hoping that Ethiopia loses away to Central African Republic for them to go into the next round.

The Botswana Football Association (BFA) also announced tough friendlies as they intensify preparations. The first friendly will be against Uganda here Saturday in the recently refurbished National Stadium. Three days later, the Zebras will welcome Malawi at the same venue to wrap up their preparations before crossing over to South Africa.