No question, Africas way up will continue. But the set back caused by the political and economical situation will slow down the process. What will boost Africas chances on the other hand is that the share of starters has increased from 6% until 1978 to 15,6% 1998. This just makes it almost three times as likely an African team will come through as it has been once then. Simply for mathematical reasons, unregarding the strength of the teams. 
 

a tricky deatail of the mode: Africa can only have 3 semi-finalists

 But, halt, first we take a look at a tricky detail of the mode: Africa can only have 3 semi-finalists!  
 Africa starts with five teams as South America does. But while South America can make it theoretically to four semi-finalists, Africas maximum is three! Why this?  
 It is caused by the schedule and the draw that realised the distribution of the teams on the groups. Of each half, groups A-D and groups E-H, two teams qualify for the semi-finals. But Africas teams are distributed 4:1. The 4 African teams in groups A-D cannot produce more than two semi-finalists.  
 

 The disatvantage is disatvantage and atvantage in the same time when it comes to the calculation of the propects for only one semi-finals place. When South Africa would meet Nigeria in the first play-off round it means one team out without losing to an European or American or Asian, but on the other hand it means one African automatically qualified for quarter finals. But for more semi-final places and thus in overall it turns to a disatvantage. 
  
 Now to the teams. 

Morocco & Co - The five teams

 Morocco had been the favorite for the African Cup Of Nations 1998. But their last match came in quarter finals when they were beaten by a couple of individual strike actions of opponents South Africa. Dominating in midfield they could not profit from this superiority.  
 This shows very good the problem of Morocco. A sophisticated style of play but no explosion upfront. By the same tempo and elegance they play all over the the field they try to carry the ball into the goal. But the opponents know where Morocco wants to go. If they open their defences, Morocco will have a chance, if they play solid defence, Morocco will have difficulties to score. 
 In qualification matches at Africa Morocco, much better prepared, easily profits against unorganised defences by the combination style. But when opponents are better prepared, the problems start. 
 

 Cameroon has had all those adventures that to Europeans appear as a (typical African) 'desease'. One could also say, they are a bit chaotic. Whatever the national team has been exposed to in the recent years was poorly organized. Arguing over player bonusses is the most important, then come repairing the problems that occur from forgotten documents or unpaid travel costs. And on the pitch, apart from those distractions, the famous coaching inconsitency finds its representation. 
  

Cameroons experience and fighting spirit

South Africa faces the hosts

 South Africa once had been the darlings of the European press, after impressive home matches against the world big and winning the African Cup Of Nations 1996 at home. But from then on they were on the way down. Their blend of African and European elements based strongly on the particular team that became old and especially away from home had no impact.  
 After a disappointing Intercontinental Cup, coach Clive Barker was fired and Jomo Sono, who took over, travelled with a completely changed team to the African Cup Of Nations at Burkina Faso 1998. Beginning slowly but unbeaten, they marched through to the finals, impressing with individual abilities. Their strength was not cooperation but the force of individual players. Their tempo changes were another conspicious property. In the final then they were entirely dominated by a perfect Egypt squad and those players who had made impact before suddenly looked harmless. 
 

 This became especially problematic after Somos success in Burkina Faso and the problem increased when Troussier decided to call up some new European players, born in South Africa, but since birth living in Europe and with hardly any ties to South Africa. More problems with the press followed after an incident that was said to be a scuffle with a newspaper man. 
 Troussier still profits from the reputation he earned when he brought the former outsiders Burkina Faso into semi-finals at the Nations Cup. But he is not as willingly believed in at South Africa as he was at Burkina Faso, the football minnows, where he arrived as a gift, as a 'messias' (S.Traoré, Burkinabé player) for a team without any believe before. In South Africa he faces a press and many officials with an own opinion. 
 

best information sources on Internet about the SuperEagles: the brilliant Super Eagles page from Sweden and this Super Eagles page for the World Cup

 Inconsistency is the key word for the Nigerian Super Eagles. Often their ban from the Nations Cup is mentioned when it comes to the reasons for the Nigerian problems. But it has also been the inconsistency in the associations decisions about coaching. 
 When winning the Olympics, they had the basis for everything: the team, the system, and probably the coach, too. After that they went with two different coaches through their 6 qualification matches (without playing any other serious internationals) and although qualified very early, wasted more time before they finally appointed another successor.  
 In the end it had come down to two candidates: One was 1996 Atlanta coach Jo Bonfrere, familiar with the team already since he was assisting 1994 World Cup coach Clemens Westerhof.   
 

 Because of the disappointing Nations Cup appearance Tunisia has long been considered as the weakest African contender. Tunisia is a typical North African team. They arrive thoroughly prepared, their game is based on a solid defence and their attacking game lures to profit from disorganised defences or standard situations. This works well in African qualifiers but on final tournament stage their opponents will be similar organised and Tunisia suddenly has to decide matches by their skills. Here they went out at the 1996 Olympics without impact.  
 At the Nations Cup 1998 the style was successful again but they did not please the critics. In penalty shoot-out in quarter-finals they finally lost to the hosts Burkina Faso. The difference to their surprise success two years before? In that year they had won the penalty shoot-out at the same stage of the tournament.