On Friday, Egypt will take on South Africa in an exciting encounter during the second round of group matches at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Pharaohs fought hard to secure a 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe in their opening match, while South Africa also triumphed against Angola with an identical scoreline.
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Egypt showcased strong performance against Zimbabwe, despite the close scoreline.
They unleashed a remarkable 35 shots and created eight chances – the highest recorded by any team in AFCON since 2010.
Omar Marmoush and Mohamed Salah found the back of the net, with Marmoush earning the men-of-the-match honors.
South Africa had a narrow win over Angola, with Lyle Foster emerging as the hero. He made history as the first Premier League player to score for the national team at AFCON since Phil Masinga in 1996.
This match will mark the 13th encounter between these teams, with South Africa leading the head-to-head record (W7, D1, L4).
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Whoever claims victory in this match will secure a place in the round of 16 and may decide the winner of Group B.
Team News
Egypt’s Mostafa Mohamed and Mohamed Hamdi have sustained minor injuries during the match against Zimbabwe but remain uncertain for this clash. South Africa, on the other hand, has no injury worries.
Predicted Line-ups
Egypt (4-2-3-1): Mohamed El Shenawy, Mohamed Hany, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Yasser Ibrahim, Ahmed Fotouh, Marwan Attia, Hamdi Fathi, Mohamed Salah, Emam Ashour, Mahmoud Trezeguet, Omar Marmoush.
South Africa (4-4-2): Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Siyabonga Ngezana, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Aubrey Modiba, Mohau Nkota, Teboho Mokoena, Yaya Sithole, Oswin Appollis, Lyle Foster, Sipho Mbule.
Prediction
This match is set to be a closely fought battle, but we anticipate a 2-1 win for Egypt.
Stats sourced from transfermarkt.com.