Pitso Mosimane has warned Bafana Bafana not to underestimate Eritrea as South Africa prepare for a crucial AFCON 2027 qualifier in Cairo on Wednesday night.
Bafana Bafana arrived in Egypt with confidence after opening their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over Guinea, but coach Mosimane has made it clear that the job is far from finished.
South Africa face Eritrea at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo on Wednesday, 30 September, with kick-off scheduled for 18:00 South African time. The match is being played in Egypt because Eritrea does not currently have a CAF-approved venue for international fixtures.
Despite the positive start against Guinea, Mosimane wants his players to approach the second Group D fixture with exactly the same intensity and discipline.
Mosimane pleased with Guinea victory
Bafana opened their campaign with an important win over Guinea at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
Ime Okon gave South Africa the lead before Guinea equalised, but Samukele Kabini produced the decisive moment 13 minutes from time to secure a 2-1 victory.
The result gave Mosimane a winning start in his return to the Bafana Bafana hot seat and put South Africa in a strong early position in Group D.
However, the coach is not allowing the victory to create complacency.
“I am happy with the result we got (in the first qualifier against Guinea), we got the result, and even the attitude was good,” Mosimane said.
“We need to show the same attitude against Eritrea because you can’t give respect to Guinea and not accord the same to an Eritrea side that just claimed a point away from home in Kenya.”
Eritrea have already shown they can compete
Mosimane’s warning comes after Eritrea produced an encouraging result in their opening qualifier.
The Red Sea Camels held Kenya to a 1-1 draw at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, earning a valuable point away from home.
That result means Eritrea have already demonstrated that they can frustrate opponents and compete against teams regarded as stronger on paper.
For Bafana, that draw is an important reminder that Wednesday’s fixture cannot be treated as a formality.
Group D leaves little room for error
The structure of Group D makes every point particularly important.
Kenya are one of the co-hosts of AFCON 2027 and are therefore automatically qualified for the tournament alongside Tanzania and Uganda.
As a result, only the highest-placed team among South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea will secure the remaining qualification place from Group D.
That makes the six group matches extremely important for Bafana.
South Africa’s opening victory over Guinea therefore represented more than just three points. It gave Mosimane’s side an early advantage over one of the teams competing for the available qualification position.
A second victory in Cairo would strengthen that position further.
No room for complacency
Mosimane has repeatedly emphasised the importance of attitude since taking over the national team.
The experienced coach knows that winning the first match does not guarantee qualification, particularly in a group where only one of the three non-host nations can advance.
His message to the squad is therefore straightforward: the same concentration and determination shown against Guinea must be carried into the Eritrea match.
Bafana will also have to adapt to a different type of challenge.
While Guinea provided a physically demanding test in Johannesburg, Eritrea are expected to make life difficult through organisation and defensive discipline.
Injuries add another challenge for Bafana
South Africa will also have to deal with squad changes ahead of the match.
Aubrey Modiba and Teboho Mokoena have been ruled out of the Eritrea fixture through injury, adding to the selection considerations facing Mosimane.
Mosimane will therefore need to make adjustments while ensuring that the team’s momentum is not affected.
The coach has already shown a willingness to use his squad, with several new faces introduced during his first international window back in charge.
Bafana targeting back-to-back victories
South Africa’s immediate objective is clear: secure another three points and maintain their momentum at the top end of Group D.
The players have responded positively to Mosimane’s return so far, and the coach will now be looking for another disciplined performance in Cairo.
The importance of the fixture is not lost on the Bafana camp.
A victory would put South Africa in a strong position after the opening two rounds, while dropping points would give Guinea and Eritrea an opportunity to remain firmly in contention.
For Mosimane, however, the focus is not on the wider permutations but on getting the performance right.
Bafana must respect Eritrea, maintain the same attitude and avoid allowing their impressive start against Guinea to create complacency.
Next up: Egypt friendly
After the Eritrea qualifier, Bafana Bafana will remain in Egypt for another international assignment.
South Africa are scheduled to face Egypt in a friendly at Cairo International Stadium on 4 October, giving Mosimane another opportunity to assess his squad during his first international window since returning as national team coach.
But before thinking about the friendly, Mosimane’s message is clear: the immediate priority is Eritrea.
Match Details
Eritrea vs South Africa
Competition: AFCON 2027 Qualifiers – Group D
Date: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Venue: Al-Salam Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
Kick-off: 18:00 SAST
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Pitso Mosimane has warned Bafana Bafana not to underestimate Eritrea as South Africa target a second straight AFCON 2027 qualifying victory in Cairo.
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Social Media Caption
🇿🇦 Bafana Bafana have been warned!
After beating Guinea 2-1 in their opening AFCON 2027 qualifier, Pitso Mosimane has demanded the same attitude against Eritrea in Cairo.
Eritrea already showed their ability to compete after holding Kenya to a 1-1 draw — and Mosimane insists Bafana cannot afford to underestimate them.
Eritrea 🇪🇷 vs South Africa 🇿🇦
📅 30 September 2026
🏟️ Al-Salam Stadium, Cairo
⏰ 18:00 SAST
One win started the campaign. Can Bafana make it two?
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