The setting is unique but a succession of pre-tournament injuries and the lessons of past World Cups outside Europe suggest the football at Africa's first finals will resonate to familiar Latin rhythms.
A month-long tournament that starts at Soccer City in Soweto on Friday when South Africa play Mexico will look and feel different from any other World Cup - and sound different too thanks to the cacophonous din of vuvuzela trumpets.
The sensation is that anything is possible in such a vast country with such differences in altitude and temperature but every World Cup outside Europe to date has been won by a South American team and with medical bulletins providing bad news for European and African challengers the pattern may continue. Can Africa change that trend?
Nigeria's 3:1 win over North Korea finished off the final preparation games of Africa's contingent to the first World Cup hosted on the continent's soil in some style.
It was a good scorecard for the Nigerians who face two-time world champions Argentina in six days, and indeed Africa's six-pack, who recorded five wins to one loss in their final friendlies.
Hosts South Africa got some measure of respect after they saw off Denmark by a lone goal, for their 12th game without defeat since the return of Brazilian gaffer Carlos Parreira.
With 'Killer' Katlego Mphela on target yet again, one is tempted to say who needs Benni? Confidence is sky high, as it should be in the Rainbow nation, with the quadrennial international's opener just five days away.
Algeria finally stopped the bleeding after four losses on the bounce, when they beat the UAE by a lone goal. With England and the USA waiting, African fans will hope coach Rabah Saadane is on top of his game when he says the friendlies do not reflect the true strength of his team.
Ghana delivered an impressive response to a 4:1 mauling by the Netherlands when a late Quincy Owusu-Abeyie screamer meant they beat Latvia 1:0, and head to South Africa with renewed zeal.
Milovan Rajevac leads his side against Serbia on June 13, with Australia and Germany to follow. The Serb has a decision to make; whether to run with the youthful core marshaled by Udinese's Kwadwo Asamoah that has brought him much success, or the older, more experienced, but less fluid core led by captain Stephen Appiah that crumbled under the Oranje.
Cote d'Ivoire had a splendid win over Japan marred by the arm injury to its skipper Didier Drogba, who may miss the early games of the tournament.
Regrettably the Ivorians face the dreaded duo of Portugal and Brazil in their first two games. Doubly unfortunate is that Drogba had scored twice in the Elephants two friendlies and was looking good to do some real damage at the mundial.
Eriksson remains confident, as well he should, with plenty of fire power still, from the likes of Aruna Dindane, Salomon Kalou, Gervinho and Romaric.
Cameroon were the only team to record a loss after a seven-goal thriller with Serbia in Belgrade. The Lions lost 4:3, but it was a match they could have won.
Skipper Samuel Eto'o was suspended after a red card in the midweek friendly against Portugal, and Achille Webo and the young Eric Choupo-Moting stepped up to the plate.
Cameroon coach Paul Le Guen is confident his team will make the round of 16, albeit by finishing second to the Dutch, but the Lions look solid enough to hold off the Danes and the Japanese.
Bafana Bafana kicks off Africa's challenge on Friday against Mexico. It will be a match that in all probability will set the tone for the hosts' as well as the continent's charge.
If recent performances are a benchmark, then it is looking like it could be one helluva charge afterall.
credit: Kenneth Ezaga, Rediff sports
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