The coach of the 'Bafana Bafana' team, Pitso Mosimane, made a memorable return to Egypt, maintaining an ideal start in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers, and received a warm welcome at his former club, Al Ahly.
On Wednesday, the 'Bafana Bafana' team defeated Eritrea 5-0 during the second qualifying match of Group D at Al Salam Stadium in Cairo. This victory allowed them to remain leaders of the group, accumulating six points and a goal difference of plus six after the previous game against Guinea, which they won 2-1 at home.
Before staying in the Egyptian capital for a friendly international match against the hosts on Sunday at the Cairo International Stadium, Mosimane, along with part of his technical staff—including chief analyst Musi Matlaba, fitness and conditioning coach Kabelo Rangoagu, and goalkeeper coach Marcus Mashilo—visited Al Ahly upon invitation.
The four individuals were warmly greeted by employees of the continent's largest club from their arrival until their departure. Mosimane was seen hugging every employee he met, evidently recalling the good moments they shared.
Mosimane is one of the few coaches who managed to handle the pressure of working at the club, winning six trophies in less than two years, including two consecutive Confederation of Africa Champions Cup titles.
Despite leaving the club four years ago, Mosimane still maintains close ties with the fans, some of whom previously called out on social media about his return to help in case of team setbacks before he joined 'Bafana'.
Egyptian fans are expected to attend the 'Bafana' versus 'Pharaohs' match in large numbers on Sunday. Their presence will also be an honor for Mosimane, who raised the status of Al Ahly and Egyptian football on the world stage after winning two FIFA World Cup bronze medals during his time at the club.
For this reason, Mosimane intends to avoid complacency. Instead, he urged his substitute players, who are expected to play in the game, to demonstrate their talent, achieve a positive result, and continue proving why Egypt feels like a second home to him.