From Reuters

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

The 36-year-old came on as a substitute to help the Ivorians come from behind to beat Japan 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 Brazil, were beaten 2-1 by Belgium in Belo Horizonte.

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

Ghana’s coach Kwesi Appiah 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 United States 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 Germany 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 Ghana must now get results in their remaining Group G games against Germany and Portugal.

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

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