JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Africa is waiting to anoint a new goal king at the Nations Cup to succeed Didier Drogba, likely to be playing in his last tournament, and Samuel Eto’o who misses out again.

The list of potential successors at this month’s finals in South Africa is thin but there is always hope that at least one future goal machine could emerge from among the 16 finalists.

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 13 (Reuters) – Africa is waiting to anoint a new goal king at the Nations Cup to succeed Didier Drogba, likely to be playing in his last tournament, and Samuel Eto’o who misses out again.

The list of potential successors at this month’s finals in South Africa is thin but there is always hope that at least one future goal machine could emerge from among the 16 finalists.

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 12 (Reuters) – Hosts South Africa face a battle to convince fans to back them in large numbers at the African Nations Cup after less than 15,000 watched a 0-0 draw with Algeria in their last warm-up game in Soweto on Saturday.

Coach Gordon Igesund had hoped for two resounding performances in the build-up to this month’s tournament to rally support behind his beleaguered side but South Africa finished a second consecutive game without scoring.

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – African Nations Cup hosts South Africa suffered a morale-deflating 1-0 defeat at home to a young Norway side on Tuesday in their penultimate warm-up international.

Norway, with a team of inexperienced home-based players, scored the only goal from captain Tarik Elyounoussi four minutes before half-time.

CAPE TOWN, Jan 8 (Reuters) – African Nations Cup hosts South Africa suffered a morale-deflating 1-0 defeat at home to a young Norway side on Tuesday in their penultimate warm-up international.

Norway, with a team of inexperienced home-based players, scored the only goal from captain Tarik Elyounoussi four minutes before half-time.

CAPE TOWN, Jan 7 (Reuters) – South Africa, tumbling down the FIFA rankings and given little chance in their home tournament, can “shock people” and make a bold bid to win the African Nations Cup, coach Gordon Igesund said on Monday.

Igesund said his squad, hard hit by injury, the retirement from international football of captain Steven Pienaar and a match fixing scandal that led to a temporary suspension of top officials, was on the right path.

CAPE TOWN, Dec 1 (Reuters) – FIFA executive committee member Jacques Anouma of the Ivory Coast plans to stand against Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Issa Hayatou in next March’s elections in Marrakech.

An Ivory Coast Football Federation statement said it was nominating 60-year-old Anouma as a candidate and would put forward his name before the nomination deadline on Dec. 9.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Didier Drogba was among the scorers as Ivory Coast underlined their status as African Nations Cup favourites by overpowering Austria 3-0 in Wednesday’s friendly internationals.

Most of the finalists failed to convince with the South Africa tournament now just two months away, but Ivory Coast had the look of potential continental champions.

JOHANNESBURG, Nov 15 (Reuters) – Didier Drogba was among the scorers as Ivory Coast underlined their status as African Nations Cup favourites by overpowering Austria 3-0 in Wednesday’s friendly internationals.

Most of the finalists failed to convince with the South Africa tournament now just two months away, but Ivory Coast had the look of potential continental champions.

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – South Africa football coach Gordon Igesund will be hoping a fortuitous choice on stage at the African Nations Cup finals draw will turn around his luck after a difficult four months in charge.

The coach, who has endured team problems off the field rather than on it, looked to be further in the mire in the closing stages of Wednesday’s draw when hosts South Africa faced the prospect of being paired with long-time nemesis Nigeria.