Four-time African champion Cameroon had been one of the continents great hopes. But the Indomitable Lions _ featuring Inter Milan’s recent Champions League winner Samuel Eto’o _ are already preparing to pack their bags after failing to find their bite in losses to Japan and Denmark.

Giancarlo Abete blamed Europe’s big clubs, awash with money from lucrative broadcast contracts, for failing to develop young players good enough for international football.

Now, if Algeria beats the United States on Wednesday in its last group game, it has a chance of reaching the second round for the first time in its history.

It was unclear whether Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba was going to start on Sunday at Soccer City Stadium, but coach Sven-Goran Eriksson hinted the Chelsea striker could be in the starting lineup.

And for one stretch, the home fans were in utter delirium. The level of bedlam and euphoria somehow ratcheted to a higher level when Siphiwe Tshabalala gave South Africa a 1-0 lead with a stylish goal in the 55th minute. Mexico’s tying goal, 24 minutes later, subdued the noise only briefly.

Signs outside the U.S. hotel warn: “ELEPHANTS COME CLOSE TO OUR FENCE KEEP A DISTANCE OF 30 METERS AND PLEASE BE QUIET