Bafana Bafana travel to the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday evening to face Egypt in a high-profile international friendly.
Pitso Mosimane’s side heads into the fixture fresh off a dominant 5-0 thumping of Eritrea. However, this weekend presents what many would argue is Mosimane’s first true test in the Bafana hot-seat.
The Pharaohs themselves enter Sunday’s clash on the back of a 5-0 victory over South Sudan, with all of their key players firing on all cylinders.
Three Egyptian players that can hurt Bafana Bafana
Tottenham attacker Omar Marmoush is one player Pitso Mosimane’s side will have to pay special attention to. He’ll be high in confidence after scoring a brace against South Sudan.
Emam Ashour is another player who needs no introduction. Many of the South African squad will already know him from his battles with Mamelodi Sundowns in the colours of Al Ahly.
He’ll have to be closely watched because if you give him space, Ashour will punish you. What’s most impressive about him is the fact that he’s a midfielder who can create chances for his teammates however he also has a wicked eye for goal himself.
The next man Bafana Bafana will have to pay special attention to is Pyramids attacker Ziko. The 29-year-old will be full of confidence after a solid performance against South Sudan.
Ziko also showed his class at the 2026 Fifa World Cup where he scored two goals while assisting one more for his country. Unfortunately for the hosts, Mohamed Salah was forced to withdraw from their squad due to personal reasons.
While the stakes may be low, an interesting evening football lies ahead with incredible quality on both side’s of the field. Action in Cairo is scheduled to begin at 20:00 on Sunday evening.
Photo: REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
