Which African team? There are four African teams. Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana and Algeria (not sure whether Algeria can be considered as an African team). Out of this none of the teams are considered favorites to move past the group stage. Promising teams such as Ghana and Nigeria are placed in very tough groups.
Well, hope is not the same as I think it will happen, neither I would bet on that. But being in strong groups means if they pass to the octaves, they have really goods chances to get to the semis, and cote d'ivoire is in an easy group, together with japan, Colombia and Greece.