Egypt will play South Africa on Tuesday in Soweto in what could be the last rehearsal of the team ahead of next month's Congo clash at the start of their 2018 World Cup qualifiers campaign.

The Pharaohs launched their preparations for the qualifiers by tying with Guinea 1-1 in a friendly in Alexandria last week.

In late June, World Cup-hungry Egypt were drawn in a tight group for the qualifiers' final round alongside Ghana, Congo and Uganda.

South Africa failed to book a place at the 2017 African Cup of Nations finals after Friday's 1-1 draw with Mauritania in the final round of the qualifiers.

Egypt's boss Hector Cuper will be eyeing a better show against South Africa.

"I am not satisfied with the performance. I was waiting for a better show and result," Cuper said at the press conference after the Guinea match.

"Players did not follow the instructions perfectly and some lost confidence in themselves unjustifiably," the former Valencia coach said.

"They were not patient or accurate in finishing the strikes, unlike what happened in the training camp."

The Argentine coach, who depended on some new faces against Guinea, vowed to avoid mistakes in Soweto, insisting that that his team will be at full strength by the return of its key stars.

Zamalek's defender Ali Gabr may be the only absentee on Tuesday after recently suffering an ankle injury in training.

Egypt's 26-man squad for the South Africa match:

Goalkeepers:Essam El-Hadary (Wadi Degla), Ali Lotfi (ENPPI).

Defenders:Ahlmed Fathi, Rami Rabia (Ahly), Ahmed Dwidar, Ali Gabr (Zamalek), Hamada Toulba (Masry), Ayman Ashraf (Smouha), Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull City, England), Mohamed Abdel-Shafi (Ahly Jeddah, KSA), Omar Gaber (Basel, Switzerland).

Midfielders:Walid Soliman, Abdalla El-Saied (Ahly), Ibrahim Salah, Islam Gamadl, Mostafa Fathi (Zamalek), Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet (Anderlecht, Belgium), Mohamed El-Neny (Arsenal, England), Mohamed Salah (Roma, Italy), Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City, England), Sam Morsi (Wigan, England).

Strikers:Hossam Paolo (Smouha), Bassem Morsi (Zamalek).

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