Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has commented on his team's upcoming AFCON 2025 group stage clash with Bafana Bafana.
South Africa will face several strong opponents at the tournament, but their match against record AFCON champions Egypt is a particularly notable one.
Bafana Bafana shockingly knocked out the Pharaohs on home soil in the 2019 tournament, prolonging Egypt's 15-year wait for an eighth title. The two teams will meet again on 26 December 2025.
Angola and Zimbabwe complete Group B, promising a tough group stage. Hassan acknowledged the challenge and the rising standard of football across Africa.
EGYPT COACH ON BAFANA DRAW
“The second group includes strong teams, especially since football in Africa is developing for the better and there are no longer weak teams, as evidenced by the results that appeared during the recent tournaments, which witnessed the brilliance of new teams in the African football sky,” he said, as per Yallakora.
“The competition in the African Nations Cup will be difficult, of course, due to the presence of major teams in the tournament, led by Morocco, Algeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, and other teams with a long history in the African Nations Cup.”
He continued: “We are ready for the African Cup of Nations, and we will do our best to win the title and make the Egyptians happy,” he added.
“We always play to achieve championships, and our goal is to win the African Cup of Nations.
“We have great players, most notably Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush, and Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, in addition to the presence of the best clubs in Africa, most notably Al Ahly and Zamalek. We have many young players who have appeared and shone with us during the recent period.”
