South Africa will be up against Egypt for a fourth time in Africa Cup of Nations final action, looking for victory not only to take charge of the Group B standings at the tournament but also to even the score between the two countries.
Egypt enjoy a 2-1 lead in the three previous meetings between the countries at past finals tournaments, although the last two sides in the 2019 edition were an upset win for Bafana Bafana.
Bafana rumbled Egypt out of their own tournament in the round of 16 in 2019, sending shockwaves through the country, who reacted in disbelief. A tight contest looked to be heading for extra time before Thembinkosi Lorch scored a superb breakaway goal to seal the win for Bafana, who were knocked out by Nigeria in the next round. Ronwen Williams is the only player who remains from that squad.
حكام مباراة السبت في دور الـ 16 لكأس مصر 📝🔴 pic.twitter.com/Z4tsy6e07e
— EFA.eg (@EFA) December 25, 2025
The two countries were paired in Group A at the 1996 finals, which South Africa hosted, and met in the last group game with Bafana already through to the knockout rounds.
Coach Clive Barker rested several key players, and as a result, they lost 1-0 to an Egyptian side coached by Ruud Krol, who would later go on to have success with Orlando Pirates. Ahmed El-Kass got the only goal after seven minutes, and Bafana never quite managed to hit their straps in what was perhaps a mini wake-up call for the side.
🧤🇪🇬
— EFA.eg (@EFA) December 25, 2025
#مصر_في_الكان | #شجع_مصر pic.twitter.com/vQjvAEVGWS
At the next Cup of Nations edition in Burkina Faso in 1998, the two sides met again but this time in the final in Ouagadougou.
It was Egypt who came out on top in relatively comfortable fashion. Early goals from Ahmed Hassan and Tarek Mostafa took the sting out of the game, and Egypt were able to see it out with few alarms.