Dithejane strikes as Bafana take down Egypt in Cairo

Puso Dithejane celebrates after scoring for Bafana against Egypt on Sunday. Picture: Weam Mostafa/BackpagePix

Puso Dithejane’s debut goal capped off a perfect week for Pitso Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana, as they beat Egypt 1-0 in a friendly at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday.

Dithejane made the most of an error from Pharaohs goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir to slot home six minutes after half time, in an impressive victory for what was a much-weakened Bafana line-up.

Mosimane made nine changes from Bafana’s AFCON qualifier against Eritrea on Wednesday, with only Ime Okon and Sphephelo Sithole retaining their place in the starting XI.

Forwards Tashreeq Matthews and Dithejane made their senior debuts, with Luther Singh also starting after coming off the bench to score against Eritrea.

Up front, Cassius Mailula was given a chance, while Brooklyn Poggenpoel played alongside Sithole in central midfield. Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine captained the side and Buccaneers central defender Lebone Seema and Sundowns full backs Thabang Matuludi and Fawaaz Basadien completed the line-up.

An inexperienced Bafana side looked understandably rusty early on. Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan made just three changes from his Pharaohs side that had beaten South Sudan 5-0 in midweek.

In the 9th minute, a brilliant pass from Egypt left back Karim Hafez sent Tottenham Hotspurs’ Omar Marmoush through on goal. He cut inside Okon superbly but curled his effort wide.

Four minutes later, Okon didn’t get enough power on a headed clearance and Al Ahly right back Mohamed Hany smashed a shot just over from the edge of the box.

Matuludi made a couple of important challenges in the early stages and also got forward into threatening positions. In the 20th minute, he ran onto a good pass from Matthews but whacked an ineffective effort across the face of goal.

Seema was having a superb game, making countless clearances and also producing a good block to deny Mostafa Ziko.

Dithejane, who is having a great season in the USA with Chicago Fire, started to find some space and on the half hour mark, he played in Mailula, who turned away from his man well but his shot was too easy for Mostafa Shobeir.

In the 38th minute, Matuludi got forward again, and this time hit a far better effort just over the bar.

Five minutes after the break Dithejane put Bafana in front, after being presented with a gift by Shobeir.

Shandre Campbell, who had come on to replace Singh at half time, lofted a through ball and the Egypt ‘keeper rushed off his line. DIthejane did well to press Shobeir, and his weak attempt at a clearance hit the Bafana man, who kept his cool and ran through to slot the ball into an empty net.

Mosimane brought Ricardo Goss off the bench to replace Chaine in goal. And Goss produced a brilliant save to deny Egypt substitute Hamza Abdelkarim. The Sundowns ‘keeper was at it again in stoppage time, plunging low to keep out Ibrahim Adel’s header from a corner, with Abdelkarim hitting the rebound onto the crossbar.

Get the latest news and updates on Whatsapp