South Africa’s national soccer team capped off a flawless international break with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over North African giants Egypt at Cairo International Stadium on Sunday night.
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The result secured a third straight victory under returned head coach Pitso Mosimane, building immense momentum across the national squad.
Puso Dithejane delivers match-winner on debut
The decisive moment arrived early in the second half when debutant Puso Dithejane capitalised on a defensive blunder.
In the 51st minute, Dithejane aggressively pressed Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, forcing a rushed error before calmly converting into an empty net to break the deadlock.
Mosimane made sweeping changes to his starting lineup following Bafana’s 5-0 AFCON qualifying triumph over Eritrea earlier in the week. Sipho Chaine took the captain’s armband in goal, spearheading a disciplined defensive unit featuring Ime Okon, Bradley Cross, and Thabo Matuludi that successfully contained Egypt’s high-pressing attack.
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Resilient defence preserves clean sheet in Cairo
Egypt mounted relentless late pressure to salvage an equaliser, but South Africa’s backline held firm. Substitute goalkeeper Ricardo Goss produced a series of crucial late saves, including denying a powerful 71st-minute header from Hamza, while the host side also rattled the crossbar in stoppage time.
The victory concluded a perfect three-match international campaign for Mosimane’s men, yielding back-to-back AFCON qualifying wins alongside this friendly triumph.
Across the international window, Bafana Bafana netted eight goals while conceding just once, demonstrating both tactical fluidity and defensive toughness.
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