Egypt vs South Africa - prediction, team news, lineups

Egypt host South Africa in an international friendly at Cairo International Stadium on Sunday, with kickoff at 9pm local time (6pm UTC).

Both teams arrive off 5-0 wins in 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, Egypt away to South Sudan on Tuesday and South Africa against Eritrea in Cairo on Wednesday.

The sides last met on December 26, when Mohamed Salah’s first-half penalty gave 10-man Egypt a 1-0 win at the 2025 AFCON, but Salah is not expected to feature on Sunday and Bafana Bafana now have Pitso Mosimane in charge after Hugo Broos’s exit.

Egypt’s 2026 World Cup was the best in their history, with the Pharaohs finishing second in Group G after draws with Belgium and Iran and a 3-1 win over New Zealand, their first victory at a World Cup.

They then beat Australia 4-2 on penalties in the Round of 32 for a first knockout win at a World Cup, with Hossam Abdelmaguid scoring the decisive kick.

Argentina ended the run with a 3-2 win in the Round of 16 after Egypt had led 2-0 through Yasser Ibrahim’s header and Mostafa Zico’s 67th-minute goal, with goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir having saved a Lionel Messi penalty before Enzo Fernandez struck the winner in stoppage time.

The 2027 AFCON qualification began with a 0-0 draw against Angola at Cairo International Stadium on September 25, a match in which Hossam Hassan took Salah off just after the hour.

Egypt won 5-0 in Juba on September 29, with Zico scoring in the 36th minute, Omar Marmoush in the 49th and 83rd, Ibrahim Adel in the 75th and Hamza Abdelkarim in stoppage time, which put the Pharaohs top of their group on four points.

Marmoush’s brace was his first for Egypt since March and took him to 13 international goals, so Sunday shows whether his form holds without Salah alongside him.

South Africa reached the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time in 2026, finishing second in Group A before losing 1-0 to Canada in the Round of 32 on Stephen Eustaquio’s stoppage-time goal on June 28.

Broos left on July 31 after more than five years in charge, and Mosimane, 62, was confirmed on September 1 for a second spell after his 2010-12 stint.

Bafana Bafana opened Group D with a 2-1 win over Guinea at Orlando Stadium on September 26, with defender Ime Okon scoring in the 31st minute, Seydouba Cisse equalising and substitute Samukele Kabini restoring the lead.

The 5-0 win over Eritrea at Al Salam Stadium in Cairo followed on September 30, with Relebohile Mofokeng scoring in the 19th minute and in first-half stoppage time before Sphephelo Sithole, Iqraam Rayners and Luther Singh completed the scoring.

Oswin Appollis supplied Mofokeng’s opener and the passes for the Rayners and Singh goals, which made the Orlando Pirates winger the creative figure of the night.

Mosimane used his strongest available teams in both qualifiers, and he has said Sunday is Bafana Bafana’s only friendly before next year’s AFCON, so the rotation will be heavy.

South Africa International Friendlies form:

Salah is not expected to play, with reports that he has returned to Trabzonspor in Turkey despite Hassan saying before the South Sudan game that he would rejoin the squad.

The Egyptian Football Association said Salah’s absence from Juba was agreed because of the artificial pitch, and Hassan has denied a rift following the Angola substitution.

Defender Mohamed Abdelmonem has also returned to Nice by mutual agreement after declining to travel to Juba, a decision former Egypt striker Mido has publicly questioned.

Ahmed Fatouh has a muscle injury that is expected to keep him out until late October, so Karim Hafez, who replaced him in the 53rd minute in Juba, is the likely left-back.

Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, Yasser Ibrahim and goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy are also out injured, and Al Ahly, who supply six players to the squad, were reported to be considering a request to excuse them after Hassan’s comments about El Shenawy, with the Zamalek derby due on October 11.

For South Africa, midfielders Teboho Mokoena and Bathusi Aubaas are ruled out, with Mokoena hurt late in the Guinea game and Aubaas forced off early against Eritrea.

Left-back Aubrey Modiba is doubtful after missing the Eritrea game, where Kabini deputised.

The injuries leave Sithole and Brooklyn Poggenpoel, who made his debut 12 minutes into the Eritrea game when Aubaas limped off, as the only recognised defensive midfielders.

Mosimane has said he will change the team wholesale, with goalkeepers Sipho Chaine and Ricardo Goss, Fawaaz Basadien, Khulumani Ndamane, Shandre Campbell, Puso Dithejane, Tashreeq Matthews and Cassius Mailula among those expected to play.

Captain Ronwen Williams is the only goalkeeper used so far in the camp, and Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Evidence Makgopa are unavailable through injury.

Shobeir; Hany, Abdelmaguid, Rabia, Hafez; Attia, Lasheen; Ashour, Zico, Hassan; Marmoush

Chaine; Ndamane, Sibisi, Seema, Basadien; Sithole, Poggenpoel; Matthews, Zwane, Dithejane; Mailula

Egypt’s lineup should be close to the one that scored five in Juba, because Fatouh is the only member of that team they are certain to lose, and the Pharaohs have not conceded in either qualifier, while South Africa, by contrast, are changing most of their team and have lost Mokoena and Aubaas from the middle.

Hassan needs a convincing home result after the Salah row and the Angola draw, while Mosimane has framed the game as a test for his squad, which is why the home side are favoured here rather than a draw.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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