African soccer supremo Issa Hayatou says he hopes a team from the continent can reach the 2002 World Cup semi-finals.
In an interview with the dailysoccer the African Football Confederation president said Cameroon, Nigeria and Senegal are already "frightening" opponents.
Senegal, surprise qualifiers at the expense of North African giants Morocco and Egypt, tackle defending champions France on May 31 in the opening match of the quadrennial soccer showpiece.
Nigeria drew Argentina, England and Sweden in the "Group of Death" while African champions Cameroon face Germany, the Republic of Ireland and Saudi Arabia in an easier pool.
South Africa and Tunisia are the other representatives from Africa, a continent that has failed to fulfil the promise shown when Roger Milla-inspired Cameroon reached the 1990 quarter-finals in Italy.
"We are making progress,
everybody recognises that, and I believe a good performance by the five teams at the final phase of the World Cup would propel African football to the highest level," Hayatou said.
"I wish that our five teams will go very far. My hope is that an African team reaches the semi-finals. In that case, we would be able to demand extra places for Africa at the World Cup."
Another African dream is to host the World Cup, with the 2010 event a possibility under a propsed rotation system, and Hayatou said countries experienced in staging major events are strongly placed to bid.
The former international sprinter named Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia as countries fitting the bill without hinting where his preference lay.
Hayatou said football was a powerful force for good around Africa, with exploits on the field putting countries on the international map, and healing political and tribal wounds.
