By Bafana Bafana continued their sensational run under Coach Pitso Mosimane, producing a tactical master-class to stun Egypt 1-0 in their own backyard at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday night.
A clinical lone strike from Puso Dithejane in the 50th minute sealed the historic international friendly victory. The triumph extends South Africa’s winning streak to three consecutive matches, following crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifying wins against Guinea and Eritrea just days prior.
The evening began with a high-profile morale boost when South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa—in Egypt for the 8th African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting—visited the Bafana Bafana change-room alongside SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan to wish the squad well.
President Ramaphosa later watched from the stands as a heavily rotated South African line-up bravely stared down a hostile partisan crowd.
True to his word, Mosimane opted for wholesale changes, introducing a wave of fresh faces and youthful exuberance who had missed out on the recent AFCON qualifiers.
“Yeah, it was a little difficult; you saw in the first five minutes that we could not find our feet. It’s normal because we brought in the younger ones. We changed the whole team. It takes a little time to gel and to come in, but as the game progressed, we gained confidence,” Mosimane reflected after the match.
Thrown firmly into the deep end against African football royalty, the debutants and rising stars refused to sink. Mosimane lauded the resilience of the youthful contingent, highlighting standout shifts from Shandre Campbell, Puso Dithejane, Lebone Seema, and Khulumani Ndamane. Experience was blended smartly with continuity through the inclusion of Thabang Matuludi and the return of Fawaaz Basadien.
Faced with a midfield injury crisis that forced tactical reshuffles—including deploying Olwethu Makhanya into the engine room toward the end—Mosimane’s gamble paid off spectacularly.
“What I like is that they’re not afraid to play and we need to give them a chance. I let them swim with the sharks, threw them in the deep end. Yeah, they swam, hey?” Mosimane added.
SAFA President Dr Jordaan heaped praise on the squad, noting that their fearless display on North African soil had made the entire nation proud.
Bafana Bafana are scheduled to return to Johannesburg on Monday, 5 October 2026, carrying renewed momentum, immense tactical depth, and a statement victory that reverberates across the continent.
