Egypt coach: “South African football is excellent, we are aiming for a proud performance and a victory”

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has expressed confidence in his squad ahead of the Pharaohs’ upcoming match against South Africa in the second round of the group stage at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Egypt come into the game on the back of a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe, despite going into halftime trailing by a goal in their opening match of the tournament.

Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Hassan stressed that every game has its own circumstances.
“Every match has its own circumstances,” he said. “We know the strengths of the South African national team very well, we respect them greatly, and we have the ambition to achieve a positive result. The players are ready, and God willing, we will get a positive outcome.”

Addressing concerns among Egyptian fans, the Egypt coach showed calmness.
“This is normal because the fans always want to see victories, and we are working to make them happy, which is the most important thing for me,” Hassan explained. “Everyone is ready, the goalkeepers are ready, and this is an added advantage. All the players are at a similar level, and I have confidence in my choices.”

Hassan also praised the performances of goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy and captain Mohamed Salah.
“They both performed well, and I am satisfied and very happy with them,” he said. “We had possession and created many big chances against Zimbabwe, and our statistics were very good. The result reflected the performance because we were well-organized offensively.”

“El Shenawy is one of the best goalkeepers in Africa. The opponent’s chances were limited, which shows our strength. God willing, our performance will be even better, and we will live up to the expectations of the Egyptian fans.”

Finally, Hassan praised the quality of South African football and the history between the two nations.
“South African football is excellent, with speed and skill, but we studied their weaknesses and have our own way of dealing with such strong matches,” he concluded. “We have a great history against them, whether in the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations or other years. Matches against South Africa are always very tough, but we are aiming for a proud performance and a victory.”

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