South Sudan vs Egypt Prediction & Match Analysis

South Sudan vs Egypt Prediction, Odds and Betting Tips

Competition: 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying · Group: B · Round: Matchday 2 · Date: 29 September 2026 · Kick-off: 13:00 GMT · Venue: Juba Stadium, Juba, South Sudan

Team News and Availability

South Sudan host Egypt in Juba after both teams left Matchday 1 with something to correct. South Sudan were beaten 2-1 by Malawi despite Joseph Dhata equalising shortly after half-time, while Egypt were held to a 0-0 draw by Angola in Cairo despite having 66% possession and 15 attempts.

The most important availability update is confirmed: Mohamed Salah will not travel to South Sudan. The Egyptian Football Association decided to rest him because the match is being played on the artificial surface at Juba Stadium. That removes Egypt's most prominent attacker, but Hossam Hassan still has alternatives such as Omar Marmoush, Zizo and Ibrahim Adel.

Projected Lineups

Projected lineups, not confirmed — South Sudan: Majak Mawith; Atendele Mawa; Rehan Angier; Benjamin Laku Lotelek; Justin Bangasi; Joseph Dhata; Peter Chan; William Gama; Paul America; Jamu Iluya; Mario Albano.

Projected lineups, not confirmed — Egypt: Mostafa Shobeir; Mohamed Hany; Hossam Abdelmaguid; Rami Rabia; Ahmed Fatouh; Mohanad Lashin; Mahmoud Saber; Emam Ashour; Mostafa Ziko; Omar Marmoush; Haissem Hassan.

Egypt's exact attacking configuration is the main uncertainty. Marmoush replaced Mahmoud Saber during the Angola match and is an obvious candidate for a larger role with Salah absent. Zizo and Ibrahim Adel are further options.

Injuries, Suspensions and Doubts

Mohamed Salah is confirmed out of the trip by the Egyptian FA because of the artificial turf. South Sudan made several attacking substitutions against Malawi but no additional player is marked unavailable here without a current official update.

Independent Match Analysis

South Sudan have zero points after losing 2-1 to Malawi. Their equaliser through Dhata showed that they can attack moments in transition, but Malawi controlled 68% possession and regained the lead in the second half.

Egypt have one point after the goalless draw with Angola. The Pharaohs produced 15 shots but only two on target, so the immediate challenge is converting territorial control into clearer chances. Salah's absence changes the attacking hierarchy, but the squad still contains enough speed and technical ability to stretch South Sudan.

The modern senior sample contains one meeting: Egypt beat South Sudan 3-0 in a June 2023 friendly in Cairo. Mostafa Fathi, Kahraba and Trezeguet scored. One friendly is not enough to define the matchup, but it shows the scale of Egypt's historical advantage in the only recent direct meeting.

Tactical Analysis and Expected Game State

Salah's absence lowers Egypt's attacking certainty, but it may also produce a more fluid front line with Marmoush, Ziko, Emam Ashour and Haissem Hassan rotating. South Sudan conceded twice to Malawi and allowed the opponent to dominate possession. If Egypt improve their final action, the match has a plausible route to three or more total goals.

Statistical coverage is partial. The table uses the teams' opening match in the current tournament and clearly labels it as overall form rather than a HOME/AWAY split. A complete 22/22 Statistical Core, including xG, xGA, full shot and shots-on-target coverage, possession and corner splits, is unavailable from the cited sources; unavailable target metrics are omitted rather than estimated. One match is a very small sample, so these figures describe the start of the competition and are not treated as stable rates.

Market Price and Value Assessment

Conclusion

South Sudan conceded twice to Malawi and now face an Egypt side with several attacking alternatives even without Mohamed Salah, leaving a credible route to three goals. Egypt's scoreless opener and the artificial surface are meaningful restraints, so the total depends on the visitors turning superiority into chances rather than merely controlling possession.

Sources

- CAF — Official Matchday 2 schedule confirms South Sudan vs Egypt: https://www.cafonline.com/afcon2025/news/totalenergies-caf-afcon-pamoja-2027-md-1-2-qualifiers-fixtures-kick-off-times-and-venues/ - FotMob — Malawi 2-1 South Sudan, lineup and match events: https://www.fotmob.com/matches/malawi-vs-south-sudan/13f0e1bq - FotMob — Egypt 0-0 Angola, lineup and match stats: https://www.fotmob.com/nb/matches/angola-vs-egypt/2dpg6s - Al Jazeera/Reuters — Salah to miss South Sudan match because of artificial turf: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/9/26/mohamed-salah-egypt-south-sudan-afcon-qualifier-artificial-turf-pitch - 11v11 — South Sudan vs Egypt H2H: https://www.11v11.com/teams/south-sudan/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Egypt/