Pitso Mosimane says South Africa will make extensive changes for Sunday’s friendly against Egypt at Cairo International Stadium.
The Bafana Bafana coach plans to give playing time to every member of his squad during an extended three-match period, which has already included 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Guinea and Eritrea.
Mosimane intends to select all the players who have not yet featured and has asked for patience and support as they face Egypt’s senior side.
“We ask for patience and support for them. They are breaking through and we need to see what we have in our ranks,” Mosimane told www.safa.net.
“Unfortunately, we have to face a big team in Egypt on Sunday. The challenge is to let them measure themselves against the sharks, but we have nothing to lose.”
The match is being used to assess the squad beyond the players involved in the two qualifiers, with Mosimane stressing that the game provides a rare opportunity for younger members of the team.
“It is a friendly and we need to see what they are capable of at this level,” he said. “So we ask for patience and support for these youngsters.
“The country must understand that we played the qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea and that is finished. That is the most important thing.
“It is essential to prepare for the next FIFA World Cup and if we do not play them now, when will we see them? We will not have friendly matches before the Africa Cup of Nations next year, so this is their only chance.”
Kick-off in Cairo is at 21:00 local time on Sunday.
