JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) – South African excitement  climbed to a crescendo yesterday on the eve of the continent’s  first World Cup but there were reminders of problems that could  spoil their dreams of changing Africa’s image forever.

Three Greek players had money stolen from their hotel and  Chinese journalists were robbed yesterday, following  Wednesday’s incident when armed men robbed Spanish and  Portuguese journalists at a lodge northwest of Johannesburg.

The incidents were comparatively minor but coming so early  were bad news for World Cup organisers who have spent years  assuring fans and journalists alike that 41,000 specially  deployed police will keep the tournament safe.

Meanwhile, two Britons were killed when a bus overturned in  the northeast of country. Although the tourists in the bus did  not appear to be World Cup fans, it was a reminder of another  problem that has caused concern, South Africa’s notoriously  dangerous roads and transport problems.

None of this was likely to dent South Africans’ frenzied  excitement as they revelled in the realisation that the World  Cup many had said they could not organise was about to take off.

“Vuvuzela” trumpets blasted and soccer chants rang out from  fans wearing their national colours. South African joy was  boosted by news that the father of the post-apartheid nation,  Nelson Mandela, was likely to attend Friday’s opening ceremony.

Mandela, 91, and in frail health, is widely credited with  helping South Africa win the World Cup bid in 2004 and if he  does attend the opening match he will inspire the nation as he  did when South Africa won the Rugby World Cup in 1995.

A year ago South Africans were accused by FIFA of being too  apathetic about the tournament and widely slated their  underachieving national side “Bafana Bafana” (The Boys).

REVIVED BAFANA       Now after an unbeaten run of 12 matches the rejuvenated team  are national heroes and pin-ups and go into the opening match  against Mexico in Johannesburg’s cavernous Soccer City stadium,  Africa’s largest, brimming with confidence. They could yet be  one of Africa’s dark horses in this tournament.   President Jacob Zuma urged them, perhaps over-ambitiously,   to bring him the trophy.

But even if they fall short, as one of the lowest-ever rated  host teams, South Africa expects the World Cup to bring a legacy  of tourism, investment, development and greater racial harmony  in an oft-troubled nation, 16 years after apartheid ended.

In hotels and training grounds across the wide and beautiful  nation, players and coaches of the 32 competing nations had  their eyes set on lifting the globe’s most coveted sporting  prize on July 11, although an extraordinary series of injuries  has reduced the odds on some.

The majority of 90,000 people in Soccer City on Friday will  be backing Bafana Bafana with what other teams consider a potent  secret weapon, the cacophony of vuvuzelas that can deafen and  intimidate the opposition.

Mexican fans laughing and singing under a statue of Nelson  Mandela in sunny Johannesburg yesterday said they had no  qualms about spoiling the local party. Other pockets of fans  chanted in multiple languages in the ritzy Sandton district. Uruguay face France in the second match of the 64-game  tournament’s opening day. Among foreigners pouring in, none can  have taken a more epic journey than a Uruguayan family who have  driven 100,000 km across 41 nations in a tiny car since early  2007 before reaching the World Cup by ship.

Other African nations like Ivory Coast and Ghana on paper  have much stronger sides than South Africa, though the loss of  Didier Drogba and Michael Essien are a blow to their chances.

Few expect an end to Europe and South America’s stranglehold  on the World Cup, with Spain and Brazil everyone’s favourites.

Argentina have arguably one of the most gifted sides, though  their chances could depend on the chemistry between maverick  manager Diego Maradona and brilliant forward Lionel Messi.

Usual wild expectations associated with England’s team of  Premier League players are tempered this time round after some  unconvincing friendlies and injuries to key players. But if they  win their Group C, they have a kind draw to the semi-finals.

Away from speculation of what is to come on the pitch,  Netherlands winger Eljero Elia sparked possibly the first major  controversy of the tournament by appearing to insult Moroccans  on a live streaming video. “I want to apologise … I am not a racist,” he said.

Africans are praying the month-long tournament will counter  what they see as old caricatures of hunger, AIDS and crime and  portray the continent as a can-do region worthy of boosted  investment.

But the robberies gave an unwelcome reminder on the eve of  the tournament that this country is one of the world’s most  violent outside a warzone.

Another negative for the tournament is an extraordinary  injury list full of big names.

The latest scare was over Switzerland captain Alex  Frei, who is doubtful for their opener against Spain  next week after hurting an ankle in training.