ACTUALITE |
22.05.2002
African dreams of World Cup glory face rude awakening
JOHANNESBURG
No continent will be under greater pressure to succeed at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea than Africa.
It has five automatic places at the quadrennial showpiece of international football, one more than South America, whose fifth-placed qualifier Uruguay had to defeat Oceania representatives Australia in a playoff.
But whether Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia can fare better than Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay is doubtful with none of the African quintet certain of places in the knockout second phase.
A belief among many African football followers that Cameroon, who this year became the first country to retain the biennial African Nations Cup since 1965, are heading for the semi-finals seems fanciful to say the least.
Drawn with three-time winners Germany, the Republic of Ireland and Saudi Arabia, the `Indomitable Lions` will have their work cut out just to finish among the top two and book a second-round place.
And Germany-born coach Winfried Schafer must be furious that the old bogey of African World Cup competitors, cash bonuses, has reared its ugly head, delaying the departure of the squad from France to Japan by several days.
Nigeria, the great African hopes of 1998, did get past the first round after overcoming Spain in their opening match, but made a humiliating second-round exit, crumbling 4-1 to unheralded Denmark.
Just reaching the last 16 will be a major achievement for the `Super Eagles` this time round as they have been drawn in the Group of Death with co-favourites Argentina, England and Sweden.
While the chances of Cameroon surviving the first round cannot be more than even and those of Nigeria considerably less, the odds are heavily stacked against Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia progressing.
Appearing at the finals for the first time, Senegal must have wished for a gentler baptism than World Cup holders France, considered by most observers as joint favourites with Argentina to lift a trophy that symbolises world football supremacy.
Ironically, while many `Terenga Lions` play in France, French stars like Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry perform in other European centres. Denmark and Uruguay are the other Group A teams.
As they did four years ago, South Africa made a late change of coach, dropping widely travelled former Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz for international novice Jomo Sono ahead of clashes with Paraguay, Slovenia and Spain.
While there is no doubting the inspirational ability of Sono, a star in the 1980s when government-backed racism prevented South Africa competing on the world stage, his coaching track record is distinctly modest. Tunisia, partly of their own making, appear no-hopers in a group including Belgium, Russia and Japan, who will be guided by Philippe `White Witchdoctor` Troussier, an eccentric Frenchman who cut his coaching teeth in Africa.
The `Carthage Eagles` followed the African tradition of panicking when results turn sour and, by firing his assistant, left vastly experienced French coach Henri Michel with no option but to resign and open the door for two unknown locals.
Cameroon are regulars qualifiers for the World Cup and have gone further than any other African nation, reaching the 1990 quarter-finals in Italy before bowing to England after extra time in a five-goal thriller. Roger Milla was the unlikely hero then. Surprisingly recalled from semi-retirement on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, the striker provided the goals and the inspiration for victories over Argentina, Romania and Colombia.
Goalkeeper Alioum Boukar, defender Rigobert Song, midfielders Marc-Vivien Foe and Lauren Mayer and strikers Patrick Mboma and Samuel Eto`o form a formidable spine for the present pride of Lions.
But the opposition is formidable. Germany may be at a low ebb by their lofty standards and the Irish infrequent World Cup performers, but African hopefuls have traditionally come off a poor second best against European opposition.
There will be no braver coach in the Far East than 64-year-old former schoolteacher Adegboye Onigbinde, who axed long-serving midfielders Finidi George and Sunday Oliseh from the Nigerian squad.
In doing so, he changed course dramatically as, in the past, coach after coach succumbed to political and media pressure ahead of major tournaments and recalled big names, irrespective of fitness or form.
Onigbinde succeeded Amodu Shaibu after the `Super Eagles` could finish only third two months ago behind Cameroon and surprise packets Senegal at the Nations Cup in Mali.
He will be encouraged by wins in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland and, in almost any other group, Nigeria would have a chance. But against Argentina, England and Sweden, even their best is unlikely to be good enough.
Just reaching the finals was an amazing achievement for Senegal as they topped a pool including Morocco and Egypt, countries with far more impressive World Cup pedigrees.
Most Senegalese watchers will have their sights focused firmly on El-Hadji Diouf, who stands out in any crowd with his closely cropped, peroxide blond hairstyle.
France-based Diouf was recently voted African Footballer of the Year, much to the annoyance of favourite and Ghanaian defender Samuel Kuffour, and his winner at home to Morocco was ultimately critical.
South Africa went to France four years ago dreaming of the second round, but a three-goal hiding by France set the tone for a disappointing tournament as draws with Denmark and Saudi Arabia led to an early exit. Several of the squad remain, including goalkeeper Hans Vonk, defender Lucas Radebe, midfielder Quinton Fortune and striker Benni McCarthy, a continual disappointment since being voted best player at the 1998 African Nations Cup.
However, Bafana Bafana (The Boys) can ill afford the loss through an ankle injury of captain and leading scorer Shaun Bartlett, and even a relatively favourable draw may not be enough to see them through.
Tunisia performed disastrously two months ago at the Nations Cup, failing to win or score a goal before departing the scene, and nothing has happened since to suggest they can succeed at a far tougher level.
Goalkeeper Chokri al-Ouaer was ruled out by a back injury, robbing the North Africans of crucial experience as they seek to improve on the 1998 World Cup when they fell to England and Colombia before holding Romania. Defenders Khaled Badra and Tarek Thabet, midfielders Kais Ghodhbane and Zoubeir Beya and striker Adel Sellimi form the backbone, but it may prove too brittle and three losses loom.
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