Hossam Hassan evaluates the possibility of giving reserve players a chance against South Africa to prepare them for upcoming training camps.
Hossam Hassan, the head coach of the Egypt national football team, is exploring the possibility of relying on a group of substitutes and rotating the starting lineup during the upcoming friendly match against South Africa, scheduled for next Sunday evening.
The Pharaohs' coaching staff aims to evaluate the technical and physical levels of all available players in the camp, giving them the opportunity to fully engage in testing their combat and tactical readiness on the field.
Comprehensive preparation for upcoming official commitments
This step is part of Hossam Hassan's plan to expand the pool of options available to the national team and increase the cohesion between the core and substitute players, to avoid any issues the team may face due to injuries or fatigue during official fixtures.
The coaching staff hopes to gain the maximum technical benefit from the friendly against South Africa, fully preparing the substitutes to elevate their on-field levels so they are in the best shape to support the Pharaohs in upcoming camps and official matches.
Match timing and date
The anticipated match between the two teams will kick off next Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 4 PM Cairo time, at the Juba International Stadium in the capital of South Sudan.
Teams' standings in the group
Egypt enters the match aiming for victory and to collect three points to compensate for their recent setback, having settled for a goalless draw in the first round against Angola at the Cairo International Stadium, while South Sudan seeks to leverage home advantage and the support of their fans to achieve a positive result in this group, which also includes Malawi and Angola.
Egypt's squad for the September camp
The squad includes goalkeepers Mostafa Shobeir, Mohamed El-Sayed, Mohamed Alaa, and Abdel Aziz Belahouti. In defense: Mohamed Hani, Tamer Hossam, Rami Rabia, Hossam Abdel Meguid, Omar Fayad, Ahmed Fattouh, and Karim Hafez. The midfield features Marwan Attia, Mohannad Lashin, Mahmoud Saber, Imam Ashour, Ahmed Sayed Zizo, Ali Mahmoud, Ibrahim Adel, Mostafa Ziko, and Haitham Hassan. In attack, there are Omar Marmoush, Hamza Abdel Karim, and Osama Faisal.
