Omar Marmoush struggles continue as Spurs striker rated worst player in Egypt’s loss to South Africa

Omar Marmoush’s promising international break took a disappointing turn after the Tottenham Hotspur forward struggled in Egypt’s 1-0 friendly defeat to South Africa.

Marmoush had entered the game with confidence after scoring twice against Sudan in Egypt’s previous outing. The brace represented his first goals of the season and offered encouragement that the striker could return to Tottenham with renewed belief ahead of the Premier League campaign.

His performance against Sudan had also suggested that Marmoush was beginning to rediscover his sharpness. He produced impressive underlying numbers, looked increasingly confident and even delighted supporters with a superb flick during the match.

However, the Tottenham forward could not replicate that display against South Africa, enduring a largely anonymous 69 minutes before being substituted.

Marmoush struggles to make an impact

Marmoush started the friendly as one of Egypt’s two forwards in a 4-4-2 formation but failed to register a shot throughout his time on the pitch.

The Pharaohs were eventually beaten 1-0 by South Africa in a closely contested encounter, with Marmoush unable to provide the attacking threat Egypt would have expected from their experienced forward.

His lack of involvement was reflected in his overall numbers. Marmoush managed just 41 touches, with only six coming inside the opposition penalty area.

He also created no chances and completed 68 per cent of his passes, numbers that underlined his limited influence in the final third.

FotMob subsequently rated Marmoush as the lowest-performing player on the pitch, giving him a match rating of 6.1.

The assessment represents a sharp contrast to his performance against Sudan, when the Tottenham forward looked dangerous and showed signs of growing confidence.

Spurs concerns remain

Marmoush’s latest international outing will also raise familiar questions about his form at club level.

The forward has yet to score for Tottenham since completing his loan move from Manchester City, which includes a £60 million obligation to buy.

He has featured in four Premier League matches for Spurs this season, accumulating 341 minutes without finding the net or registering an assist.

His current league numbers show five shots, with just one on target, while his average rating stands at 6.65.

Those figures underline the difficulty Marmoush has had translating his attacking ability into consistent production since joining Tottenham.

The Egyptian had hoped his two goals against Sudan would provide the platform for a stronger run of performances, but his display against South Africa showed that there is still work to do.

Tottenham hoping for quick response

Despite the disappointing outing, Marmoush’s performance against Sudan provides Spurs with reason to remain patient.

The brace demonstrated that the striker still possesses the quality to make a decisive impact, while his performance in that match suggested he was beginning to regain confidence.

His latest showing, however, was a reminder of the inconsistency that has characterised his early spell at Tottenham.

With the international break now providing an opportunity for reflection, Spurs will hope Marmoush can put the South Africa performance behind him and return to domestic action with the attacking threat he showed against Sudan.