Africa's safe hands

Africa and their goalies face a big World Cup test

By BBC Sport Online's Eniwoke Ibagere

Of the five teams heading for the World Cup in Korea and Japan, a few of the goalies play in the first team for their clubs.

Thus, the African Nations Cup was an ideal platform to shake up their rustiness.

Senegal

Tony Sylva is in the reserves of French club Monaco.

It's a different matter when the ball comes at you hard and fast

South African goalie Hans Vonk

But his fantastic saves, which helped Senegal reach the final of the tournament belied his status at Monaco.

Sylva was agile, never flapped with the crosses and sprang off his line quickly as an effective last line of defence.

But he sometimes lacked communication with his defence.

This led to the only goal he conceded in the tournament - against Nigeria.

Nigeria

Since parting ways with Turkish club Beskitas in August, Ike Shorounmu has not played competitive club football.

But training with Nigerian division two club Shooting Stars slightly sharpened his dull edge.

Shorounmu was not spectacular

However, he was neither spectacular nor totally out-of-sorts all through.

His ball-handling was sometimes dodgy, although he looked all right organising his defence.

Shorounmu's flapping at a Senegalese corner caused the first goal in their 2-1 defeat.

"He seemed unsure in his actions on the line and out of the penalty area," wrote Nigerian football journalist Kunle Solaja in his newspaper, The Guardian.

Surely, he needs to be in better shape for the World Cup.

Tunisia

Chokri El-Ouaer is now back at Tunisian club Esperance FC.

He cut short a stint with Italian second division club Genoa due to lack of first- team action.

El-Ouaer showed colour

El-Ouaer was his usual colourful self in Mali and among the best few in an ordinary Tunisian side.

He scored high making few good saves and dealing well with aerial balls.

Overall, he was not impressive and needs to get in shape well for the World Cup.

Cameroon

Alioum Boukar commands a first-team place in Turkey's Samsunspor FC.

Cameroon's tactically sound defence ensured Boukar was not tested.

But in the final match against Senegal, Boukar was called into action.

He made two point-blank saves and, overall, showed impressive aerial display and good ball-handling.

However, Boukar needs to work on getting his defenders to be alert.

They were sometimes casual against Senegal.

In a tournament like the World Cup, it could bring damaging results.

South Africa

Hans Vonk is first choice at Heerenveen FC in Holland, where he is rated among the country's top four.

Low shots troubled Vonk

Vonk's ball-handling was great and he used his exceptionally tall height to deal with high balls successfully.

But he had troubles with low shots, which resulted in the first goal in the 2-0 quarter-final defeat by Mali.

Afterwards, Vonk told BBC Sport Online: "It's always a problem when the ball comes at you hard and fast."

He needs to improve on his form for the World Cup.