Cape Town - The South African Under-23 squad definitely cannot lack for motivation as the opening fixture of the Olympic-qualifying Eight Nations tournament draws ever closer.
To participate in the Olympic Games is the pinnacle of achievement, something that stays with a sportsman or woman forever. With the top three countries in Senegal – the Eight Nations event runs from Saturday to December 10 – qualifying for a place in the football competition at the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil, the SA U23s are on the cusp of such a career-high achievement.
South Africa take on hosts Senegal in the tournament opener on Saturday at the Stade Leopold Senghor in Dakar (kickoff 5pm, SA time) and there is increasing confidence that this U23 squad has the talent and quality to make the country proud by qualifying for the global sporting spectacular for the first time since the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
There’s no doubt that this team is packed with a number of burgeoning footballers who have the potential to go on and make it big in Europe, and the biggest star of this bright bunch is Mamelodi Sundowns talisman Keagan Dolly.
The Mother City certainly needs no introduction to the delectable skills of Dolly. The 22-year-old spent five years at Ajax Cape Town, where he developed, honed and matured his talent.
Now, since making a big-money move to Sundowns in Pretoria, the lad from Westbury in Johannesburg has set the PSL alight with some scintillating performances.
In fact, Dolly’s career started off in parallel fashion to that of former Bafana Bafana captain and current Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar.
Both were born in the under-privileged township of Westbury, both played for local community club Westbury Arsenal, both attended the Soccer School of Excellence, and both went on to join Ajax’s successful youth academy.
But while Pienaar, after quickly making his mark in the PSL, was soon off to Europe (Ajax Amsterdam, Borussia Dortmund, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and back to Everton), Dolly decided that Sundowns’ millions would be his first port of call.
Europe, though, still reckons in Dolly’s ambitions and Senegal – and, hopefully, Rio next year – offer the winger the perfect stage to exhibit his ability to the many overseas scouts in attendance.
Dolly is certainly primed for the tournament. “As a squad, we’ve regularly sat down and discussed our goals for the event in Senegal,” he said. “Our goal is to win it… There is a lot at stake, for the country and the players.
“Qualifying for the Olympics is prestigious, while as players, we have an opportunity to impress overseas clubs and land contracts. So we know how important it is, and we want to work hard to achieve our aim of qualifying for the Olympics.”
And then on his return, Dolly also has an important club date when Sundowns take on Kaizer Chiefs in the Telkom Knockout final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on December 16.
The winger was instrumental in the Brazilians’ charge to the final, scoring some crucial goals and mesmerising the opposition as well.
So much so that, in the semi-final win, SuperSport United coach Gordon Igesund admitted that Dolly was “the difference between the two teams” – his performance paved the way for Sundowns’ victory.
Now Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane finds himself in a bit of a Catch-22 situation. He wants Dolly to do well in Senegal over the next two weeks but in the same breath, he’s holding thumbs that his star player returns home injury-free for the cup final.
@Reinerss11
Cape Times