How will Africans teams fare in World Cup? 0
Africa will have a record six representatives at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but just how will they fare amongst a field that is the strongest ever put together for the global showpiece?
SOUTH AFRICA
Matches:
11 June v Mexico (Johannesburg)
16 June v Uruguay (Pretoria)
22 June v France (Manguang/Bloemfontein)
The expectations weighing on the shoulders of South Africa going into the 2010 World Cup are immense and just how this will affect the players is an ongoing debate.
If they are to make it to the knockout stages and avoid an unwanted first in history by being the only host country ever to drop out in the first round, you feel they need to win the tournament opener against the Mexicans to give them the momentum and confidence they will need.
Brazilian tactician Carlos Alberto Parreira will be coaching at a record sixth World Cup, having won the trophy at USA ’94, and counting in his favour is that he knows Bafana Bafana’s opponents inside out after 30 years of coaching against them.
But if South Africa are to succeed they will rely heavily on the creative genius of Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar, by far the best player in the side, who in the past 12 months has developed into one of the best midfielders in Europe.
Can they realistically make it beyond the first round? Yes they can, but defeat in the opener against Mexico would be catastrophic to those chances.
Likely finish: Second Round
ALGERIA
Matches:
13 June v Slovenia (Polokwane)
18 June v England (Cape Town)
23 June v USA (Pretoria)
That Algeria were surprise qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup, there is no doubt, but few would argue that they don’t deserve to be there. The “Desert Foxes” claimed their place at the expense of the more fancied Egyptian side. And the manner in which Algeria qualified was something straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster: a play-off decider was required in the neutral venue of Khartoum, Sudan, where a stunning strike from Antar Yahia was enough to win the game.
It is Algeria’s first World Cup appearance since Mexico ’86 when they were coached by the same man, Rabah Saadane. But what is unusual about the side is that more players in the current set-up were born in France than in Algeria.
Faced with the prospect of England, the United States and Slovenia in their pool at the World Cup, the Algerians will know they need positive results against the Americans and Slovenians to have any chance of progressing to the knockout stages. It is not impossible, but I wouldn’t put the mortgage on it.
Likely finish: First Round
CAMEROON
Matches:
14 June v Japan (Mangaung/Bloemfontein)
19 June v Denmark (Pretoria)
24 June v Netherlands (Cape Town)
The “Indomitable Lions” are almost synonymous with the World Cup after their exploits at the 1990 tournament in Italy, where they captured the hearts of the world. But a lot has changed for Cameroon football since that memorable showing at Italia ’90. The proliferation of their players in the big European leagues has meant a general raising of the standard as they get better coaching at a younger age.
They are led by their talisman, Samuel Eto’o, who is regarded as one of the best strikers in the world. The side are coached by Frenchman Paul Le Guen and will be quietly confident of emerging from their group.
They have the beating of Denmark and Japan, of that there is no doubt, but the team have flattered to deceive in the past, not least at the recent Africa Cup of Nations in Angola where they exited in the quarterfinals.
Likely finish: Second Round
COTE D’IVOIRE
Matches:
15 June v Portugal (Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth)
20 June v Brazil (Johannesburg)
25 June v Korea DPR (Nelspruit)
Cote d’Ivoire were regarded by many as the most likely of the African sides to succeed at the 2010 World Cup, but for the second competition in a row have been pooled in what has been termed the “Group of Death“.
It is most certainly the toughest draw faced by an African side, but if there is one team who can pull off victory, it is The Elephants, whose so-called “Golden Generation” of players should be at their peak.
Like Cameroon, they have a talismanic forward to lead them in Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, though his fitness has been thrown into doubt after fracturing his arm in a friendly against Japan at the weekend. After successful surgery, there there is a chance he may able to play later in the group stages, or possibly the second round if Cote d’Ivoire makes it through.
Likely finish: First Round
GHANA
Matches:
13 June v Serbia (Pretoria)
19 June v Australia (Rustenburg)
23 June v Germany (Johannesburg)
Ghanaian football is going through one of its most successful periods in many a year on the back of the “feel-good” factor of having qualified for the World Cup finals for a second time in a row.
Coached by the Serb Milovan Rajevac, they are particularly strong in midfield when everybody is fit, which has been an issue in recent years.
Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari is an important cog in the centre of the park, as is Bologna star Stephan Appiah, if he can overcome the chronic knee injuries that have plagued him for the best part of three years now.
Ghana will be hoping to repeat their debut performance at the World Cup four years ago, when they won through to the second round before losing out to Brazil in the knockout stages.
Likely finish: Second Round
NIGERIA
Matches:
12 June v Argentina (Johannesburg)
17 June v Greece (Manguang/Bloemfontein)
22 June v Korea Republic (Durban)
Nigerian football is never without its dramas and so it proved when the country’s football federation sacked their (now former) coach, Shaibu Amodu, only months before the start of the World Cup.
They have replaced him with the Swede Lars Lagerback, who took his native country to both the 2002 and 2006 World Cup tournaments, giving him recent experience in the competition.
On paper Nigeria have a strong unit, but as the old saying goes, “football is played on grass, not paper,” and the side have under-performed in the recent past.
Part of the problem is that they have a number of key players who have battled to stay fit.
The “Super Eagles” would have seen drawing Argentina and Greece in the 2010 pool stages as a good omen. South Korea are the fourth side in their 2010 pool, which Nigeria have every chance of getting out of. Should they do so they are potential second-round opponents for South Africa in what would be a titanic all-Africa clash.
Likely finish: Second Round
By Nick Said – AllAfrica.com
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