Okon welcomes chance for Bafana Bafana to face Egypt’s leading players

Bafana Bafana defender Ime Okon says South Africa are relishing the opportunity to test themselves against an Egypt side featuring some of the continent’s most prominent players in Cairo on Sunday.

The friendly, which kicks off at 8pm, will bring together two of Africa’s heavyweight football nations. South Africa head into the match after consecutive AFCON qualifying victories over Guinea and Eritrea, while Egypt will provide a demanding examination of their progress.

The Pharaohs’ squad includes Tottenham Hotspur forward Omar Marmoush, Al Ahly midfielder Emam Ashour and Ahmed ‘Zizo’ Sayed, along with a number of other experienced internationals. The involvement of Mohamed Salah remains uncertain.

Okon said the quality within the Egypt squad was exactly what made the fixture appealing to Bafana Bafana’s players.

“Egypt is one of the biggest teams in Africa and, as a player, you always want to play the best teams and challenge yourself,” he said.

“So the feeling is one of excitement to play against them, to show them what we’re about as well. I think all the guys are excited and looking forward to the game.”

The match also comes as South Africa move into the top 50 of the FIFA World Rankings, offering further encouragement to a squad aiming to establish itself among Africa’s leading sides.

For Okon, the progress in the rankings provides an additional incentive. He believes seeing the teams positioned above South Africa can help Bafana Bafana develop the ambition to climb further.

“It’s really motivating. You see the teams in front of you, then you start to believe that you can get higher up in the rankings, and we’re just looking forward to getting better spots now,” he said.

The Cairo fixture will give South Africa another opportunity to assess their development against opponents with significant individual quality and continental pedigree.

After their two recent AFCON qualifying wins, Bafana Bafana will now face a different test against an Egypt team whose squad contains several high-profile internationals.