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Dithejane strike extends Bafana’s remarkable Egypt record

Puso Dithejane's debut goal in Cairo means Bafana Bafana have now lost only one of their last eight games against Egypt.

Bafana Bafana’s record against Egypt keeps getting better. Puso Dithejane’s 51st-minute strike on Sunday means South Africa have now lost just one of their last eight meetings with the Pharaohs, a run dating back to 2011 that reads five wins, two draws and one defeat.

They have outscored Egypt 8-3 across those eight games, and the Egyptians failed to score in five of them. Four of South Africa’s five wins have been by a 1-0 scoreline. The March 2011 AFCON qualifier at Ellis Park, the 2016 Nelson Mandela Challenge, the 2019 AFCON last 16 in Cairo, and now Sunday’s friendly. The other win was a 3-1 victory in a CHAN qualifier in March 2025.

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Egypt’s only victory in that spell came at the 2025 AFCON in December, when a Mohamed Salah penalty settled a 1-0 result. It ended a six-match unbeaten run for Bafana against them and was Egypt’s first win over South Africa since a 2006 friendly.

It also matters to Pitso Mosimane, who earned his second win over Egypt as Bafana coach, after that 1-0 qualifier success in March 2011. He did it with nine changes to his side, against seven-time AFCON champions who arrived fresh off a 5-0 win over South Sudan.

With three wins from three in his first camp, Mosimane has Bafana in good shape heading into the November qualifiers against Kenya.

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Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

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