Mosimane considers fresh faces for South Africa’s Egypt friendly

Pitso Mosimane is expected to make changes to his South Africa squad when Bafana Bafana face Egypt in their final match of the international break on Sunday evening.

The fixture follows the team’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea, and could give several players the chance to make their mark in national-team colours.

Tashreeq Matthews, Shandre Campbell and Puso Dithejane were not included in the matchday squads for either of the qualifiers. However, all three could now be brought into contention against the North Africans, with the possibility of earning playing time.

Mosimane may also choose to rest some of the players who played a significant role in the matches against Guinea and Eritrea. Oswin Appollis, Relebohile Mofokeng and Thapelo Maseko are among those who could benefit from a lighter workload, potentially creating room for changes to the starting line-up.

Despite the likely rotation, Mosimane will still be looking to select a balanced side capable of competing with Egypt.

Matthews has been a regular for Mamelodi Sundowns, while Dithejane has been in good form in the MLS with Chicago Fire. Campbell is regarded as a player for the future, and the meeting with Egypt could provide Mosimane with an opportunity to assess what he can contribute at international level.

The match will conclude Bafana Bafana’s international commitments before the break comes to an end.