High expectations for Africa's six finalists

By Mark Gleeson

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Africa will have a record total of six teams in Friday's draw for the World Cup finals and there are high expectations for the continent.

Five nations went through the qualification process and hosts South Africa were given an automatic berth for the first finals on African soil.

The emergence of top-class players such as Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o and Michael Essien has led to the continent's increased sense of expectation.

Cameroon will be competing at an African-record sixth finals and Nigeria play for the fourth time.

Algeria and South Africa have been to two previous World Cups but the region's best hopes could rest with Ghana and Ivory Coast, who both participate for only the second time.

Brazilian great Pele and former England manager Walter Winterbottom predicted Africa would produce a World Cup winner by the end of the 20th century but the region is still waiting to get a team to the semi-finals.

The best performance by an African side has come from Cameroon and Senegal, almost 12 years apart.

Senegal created several shocks en route to the quarter-finals in 2002 while Cameroon brought a charismatic charm and a bruising bite to their run to the last eight in 1990 before bowing out in extra time to England.