Hossam Hassan and Pitso Mosimane renew old rivalry as Egypt face South Africa

Hossam Hassan and Pitso Mosimane will renew their old rivalry when Egypt face South Africa in a highly anticipated international friendly at Cairo International Stadium on Sunday at 9pm.

The encounter comes after contrasting starts for the two coaches during the current international break, with both sides heading into the game on the back of strong performances in their most recent matches.

Egypt opened their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a goalless draw against Angola before bouncing back in emphatic fashion, thrashing South Sudan 5-0.

Under Hassan, the Pharaohs have recorded one win and one draw during the current international window, scoring five goals without conceding.

South Africa, meanwhile, have enjoyed a perfect start since Mosimane returned to lead Bafana Bafana.

The South Africans began with a 2-1 victory over Guinea before producing an even more impressive performance against Eritrea, securing a commanding 5-0 win.

Mosimane’s side have consequently won both of their matches, scoring seven goals and conceding just once.

The friendly also brings back a rivalry between Hassan and Mosimane that dates back around five years.

The two coaches previously met three times at club level when Hassan was in charge of Al-Ittihad Alexandria and Mosimane was coaching Al Ahly.

Mosimane came out on top in all three encounters, giving him a perfect record against Hassan ahead of their latest meeting.

However, Sunday’s clash will represent a different challenge, with both coaches now leading their respective national teams.

Hassan will use the encounter to further assess his Egypt squad after the opening AFCON qualifiers, while Mosimane will be aiming to continue South Africa’s strong momentum since taking charge.

With Egypt unbeaten and South Africa enjoying two consecutive victories during the international break, the Cairo meeting promises another intriguing chapter in the rivalry between Hassan and Mosimane.