Riding high after their opening victories at the Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt and South Africa are set for a Friday showdown in Agadir that could decide Group B supremacy.
Mohamed Salah snatched a dramatic late winner against Zimbabwe, while Lyle Foster sealed Bafana Bafana’s triumph over Angola, leaving both teams neck and neck as the group stage heats up.
Hossam Hassan has promised improvements after Zimbabwe gave Egypt a fright in their opening fixture at the Cup of Nations.
Tipped for an easy victory, the seven-time African champions found themselves trailing at halftime and searching for answers, until Omar Marmoush’s flash of brilliance pulled them back into the contest.
As the match seemed destined for a draw, Salah stepped up in stoppage time to deliver the decisive blow, etching his name in history as the first Egyptian to score in five Cup of Nations tournaments.
Yet the Pharaohs are well aware they must raise their game against a Friday foe they have not conquered since November 2006.
Having suffered a 1-0 defeat when these sides last met competitively at AFCON 2019 in Cairo, the North African giants know they must approach this clash with full focus, especially against a revitalized Bafana Bafana.
Hugo Broos, who famously dashed Egypt’s title hopes with Cameroon in 2017, now sets his sights on orchestrating another upset against the seven-time champions this weekend.
The 73-year-old manager saw his side claim victory sooner than Hassan, though tension mounted after Show equalized for the Palancas Negras in the 35th minute, just 14 minutes after Oswin Appollis had given the 1996 champions the lead.
Burnley’s Foster delivered the match-winner with just 11 minutes left, securing a vital Monday victory for Bafana Bafana.
Foster’s Cup of Nations goal as a Premier League player mirrored Phil Masinga’s historic feat for Leeds United in 1996, when he became the first South African to score at the tournament while playing in England’s top division.
Yet these milestones will count for little without a strong performance against the Pharaohs, as South Africa eyes a last-16 berth with a win over Africa’s most decorated team.
