Egypt vs South Africa prediction 26.12.2025 | AFCON

Egypt arrive in this knockout tie with momentum from a Group B opening victory (2-1) over Zimbabwe, in which they recovered from a setback to prevail thanks to Mohamed Salah’s injury-time winner. The Pharaohs controlled large portions of that match, generating a high volume of shots and chances, though they conceded first and were pressured defensively for sustained periods. Offensively, Egypt’s tournament progression will heavily depend on Salah’s influence; the forward is pursuing his first AFCON title and was directly involved in the decisive goal on Monday. 

Form leading into AFCON showed Egypt with 4 wins, 4 draws, and 2 losses in their last 10 internationals, with a scoring rate of around 1.2 goals per game and conceding around 1.0 goals per game, demonstrating both attacking potency and some defensive inconsistency. Egypt conceded twice in qualifying yet scored 12 goals, illustrating a capacity to find the net across competitions. 

Injury news appears limited, with no major absences reported for key starters since squad announcements.

South Africa’s campaign began positively with a 2-1 win over Angola, featuring goals from Oswin Appollis and Lyle Foster. This result marked a significant return to form for the Bafana Bafana and suggested a well-balanced squad capable of breaking down defences. South Africa’s recent form preceding AFCON includes several solid results in international fixtures and qualifiers, contributing to confidence within the camp. 

Statistically, South Africa have scored consistently across different tournaments and shown resilience after conceding. South Africa’s recent absence of major injury news implies that manager Hugo Broos can field an experienced, cohesive unit. Performance from Foster and midfield control will be critical.