GROUP B / SOUTH AFRICA

*--* World Cup record: Played 3 (0-1-2); goals for: 3; goals against: 6 Best finish: First round in 1998 1998 showing: Eliminated in the first round Coach: Jomo Sono. Starred as a player for the New York Cosmos in the old North American Soccer League, then went home to found a team he named Jomo Cosmos Players to watch: Sibusiso Zuma, Lucas Radebe, Benedict McCarthy In brief: To celebrate South Africa’s second consecutive World Cup appearance, the government minted commemorative coins, including a one-ounce gold coin depicting a soccer player. Without injured top goal scorer Shaun Bartlett, the coin is worth more than the Bafana Bafana’s chances Quick quote: “I think the team now will start believing in themselves.”--Sono Forecast: South Africa’s fortunes took a downturn last year when its soccer federation denied former coach Carlos Queiroz of Portugal sole say in picking the team and he quit. It could be three games and out

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