海角大神

Defeat for聽Algeria聽on Tuesday completed a miserable start forAfrica聽at the World Cup in聽Brazil聽with only the heroics of aging Ivory Coast striker聽Didier Drogba聽to enthuse over.

The 36-year-old came on as a substitute to help the Ivorians come from behind to beat聽Japan聽on Saturday but for the other four African representatives, their chances of a second round berth are already looking bleak with the tournament not yet a week old.

Algeria, the last of the African sides to get their finals campaign underway in聽Brazil, were beaten 2-1 byBelgium聽in聽Belo Horizonte.

Ghana聽and聽Nigeria, whose coach聽Stephen Keshi聽said there was no reason why an African team could not win this World Cup, are on the back foot while聽Cameroon聽sit on the brink of elimination.

Ghana's coach聽Kwesi Appiah聽confidently predicted his team, who showed the best form in the African qualifiers, would better their quarter-final placing of four years ago but even after losing to the聽United States聽on Monday still seemed buoyant about his side's potential.

"It's not going to be easy to qualify for the group, but we'll give everything to do just that. We're going to have to play well against聽Germany聽and I know we'll give them a good game," he said.

The 2-1 loss for the Black Stars, who conceded an injury time winner, means聽Ghana聽must now get results in their remaining Group G games against聽Germany聽and聽Portugal.

Nigeria聽failed to break down a defensive Iran and were jeered off the field after a 0-0 Group F draw inCuritiba.

It puts them under pressure to now beat Bosnia in their next game on Saturday and then also likely needing points from their last group game against聽Argentina.

Cameroon聽will be eliminated if they lose to聽Croatia聽in聽Manaus聽on Wednesday, having already been beaten by聽Mexico聽in their first Group A game last week.

Major blow

They will start without captain聽Samuel Eto'o, ruled out because of a knee injury, in a major blow to their already faltering chances.

Algeria聽still have a chance to turn around their fortunes against a far from impressive聽Russia聽and聽South Korea聽in Group H. But without the momentum of winning start on Tuesday they now must find extra capacity to get past the group phase for the first time in their history.

It is the Ivorians who now hold the continent's realistic hopes after a start that compounds the misery of 2010, when聽Africa聽had six sides at the finals and just one of them got through the initial stage.

Their 2-1 win over聽Japan聽in聽Recife聽leaves them in confident mood for their remaining Group C games against聽Colombia聽and聽Greece聽and on course to achieve their target of getting past the first round for the first time in three tournament appearances.

"We are close to qualification. This is important and we need to focus," Ivorian fullback聽Serge Aurier聽told reporters. (editing by Justin Palmer)