South Africa’s head coach, Hugo Broos, has dismissed the threat posed by Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush ahead of Bafana Bafana’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group B clash with Egypt in Agadir on Friday.

Bafana Bafana head into the encounter as underdogs, but Broos has urged his players not to overthink the individual quality within the Egyptian side, insisting his focus remains firmly on collective performance rather than stopping specific stars.

South Africa recorded a 2–1 victory over Angola on Monday, a result that underlined Broos’ confidence in his team’s identity and approach.

While his side is likely to come up against Salah on the same side of the pitch, the Belgian coach warned against tailoring tactics around any single opponent.

“We are focused on no one in particular among the opposition players. The most important thing is the team,” Broos told reporters at Thursday’s pre-match press conference.

“We all know how good Salah is; we all know how good Marmoush is and how good Trézéguet is, and other players. They are such a good team. Why should we focus on one player?

“We have to be prepared to beat the team rather than making sure Salah or Marmoush do not play well. For us, it’s the team that’s important.”

On whether South Africa would adjust their attacking style to counter Egypt’s strength, Broos was emphatic that Bafana Bafana would not abandon their identity.

“There are some things we have to take into account because we are playing against a very good team; that is true. But we will never adapt ourselves 100 per cent to an opponent,” he said.

Friday’s match at the Stade Adrar in Agadir is a top-of-the-table showdown in Group B. (BusinessDay)

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