Mosimane faces Williams call as South Africa prepare for Egypt test

South Africa manager Pitso Mosimane has a decision to make over whether to rest captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and give Orlando Pirates’ Sipho Chaine a chance against Egypt in Cairo on 4 October.

Williams has established himself as Hugo Broos’ first-choice goalkeeper for Bafana Bafana and appears to have retained that status under Mosimane. The Mamelodi Sundowns captain has also recovered from an inconsistent season and is showing signs of regaining his confidence.

But the Egypt match offers Mosimane an opportunity to assess his alternatives and determine whether Williams remains the only goalkeeper he trusts in competitive international football.

Mosimane included Chaine and Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ricardo Goss in his 30-man squad for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers and the meeting with the Pharaohs. Although he has publicly backed Chaine, even appointing him as one of the team’s captains alongside Themba Zwane, Williams is the only goalkeeper to have played so far.

The decision to keep Williams in goal has been viewed as a way of easing the responsibility on the Sundowns skipper while also developing a wider leadership structure within the squad.

South Africa will already be without a number of regular players for Sunday’s game in Cairo, with Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba and Bathusi Aubaas expected to miss out.

Why Chaine could start

The match is South Africa’s final fixture of the current international window, with the AFCON qualifiers not resuming until November, when two further games are scheduled.

That makes it a potentially suitable occasion for Chaine to make his case. Although Egypt provide a strong test, the match is described as a friendly, offering a setting in which Mosimane could assess a goalkeeper seeking to challenge for the position.

Williams also needs a break after starting against Guinea and Eritrea. His club, Sundowns, face the MTN8 final on October 10, giving Mosimane another reason to manage the captain’s workload.

Chaine could also benefit from playing time because he is expected to be in goal for Orlando Pirates in the same competition final.

Starting Chaine would allow Mosimane to support one of his players while assessing how a less experienced international goalkeeper copes with Egypt’s attacking threat. The game could provide useful information as the manager continues to shape his squad.

There is, however, a risk that changing the goalkeeper could disturb the established defensive core Mosimane is attempting to build. Williams’ continued presence may offer greater stability, particularly against a strong Egypt side.

The decision will ultimately reflect Mosimane’s plans for a Bafana Bafana team that is winning matches. The final team selection should offer a clearer indication of what “Jingles” has planned.