Emerging Bafana Bafana stun Egypt to maintain Pitso Mosimane’s perfect start

South Africa maintained Pitso Mosimane’s perfect start to his second spell as Bafana Bafana coach with a 1-0 friendly victory over Egypt in Cairo.

Puso Dithejane scored the decisive goal in the 51st minute at Cairo International Stadium, giving South Africa three wins from three matches under Mosimane.

The victory came with a team containing several emerging players, while Egypt fielded a near full-strength side that included Tottenham Hotspur star Omar Marmoush.

It was South Africa’s second successive victory over the Pharaohs in all competitions and at the same venue. The previous success came under Stuart Baxter, when Bafana Bafana defeated the hosts of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in the last 16.

South Africa’s progress in the continental competition has continued after they spent more than a decade struggling even to qualify. They won a bronze medal in 2024 before exiting in the quarter-finals in January.

The revival that began under Hugo Broos has continued under Mosimane, whose first two matches since returning were 2027 Afcon qualifying victories. South Africa beat Guinea 2-1 at home and Eritrea 5-0 in Cairo to move top of Group D.

Mosimane followed through on his promise to give more opportunities to members of his 30-man squad who had either been substitutes or unused during the opening two matches of the camp.

Sipho Chaine replaced the regular goalkeeper, while Thabang Mataludi, Lebone Seema and Fawaaz Basadien came into the defence. Brooklyn Poggenpoel of Durban City was also given another opportunity after impressing as an early substitute against Eritrea when Bathusi Aubaas was injured.

Luther Singh, Dithejane, Tashreeq Matthews and Cassius Mailula were selected in the attack as they sought to strengthen their claims for starting places.

Egypt were less adventurous with their selection, largely retaining the side that drew 0-0 with Angola and defeated South Sudan 5-0 in their Afcon qualifiers. Goalkeeper Oufa Shobeir, defenders Mohamed Hany, Hossam Abdelmaguid and Rami Rabia, midfielders Mohanad Lasheen and Emam Ashour, and forwards Mostafa Ziko and Omar Marmoush all started.

The hosts had also been affected by the early departure of Mohamed Salah following an apparent disagreement with coach Hossam Hassan and team manager Ibrahim Hassan, a situation compared in the source to Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo.

South Africa competed strongly throughout the first half before taking the lead early in the second. Shobeir left his penalty area to challenge Dithejane after Seema had sent the ball forward, but the Chicago Fire attacker won possession and scored on his debut into an empty net.

Egypt pushed for an equaliser. In the 71st minute, Rabia’s cross found substitute Hamza Abdelkarim, the young Barcelona striker, whose header was saved by replacement goalkeeper Ricardo Goss.

In the seventh minute of added time, Goss blocked Osama Faisal’s shot and the ball fell to Abdelkarim, who narrowly missed the crossbar.

The result added another notable victory in Egypt for Mosimane, whose Mamelodi Sundowns won the 2016 Caf Champions League final there and whose Al Ahly side claimed two more Champions League titles.