The crazy year that Keagan Dolly has had took another turn for the better on Saturday.
The 23-year-old first received the good news that he was on the long-list of the nominees for both CAF’s Footballer of the Year and Africa-based Footballer of the Year awards. Dolly then ended the day by moving a step closer to being an African champion after Mamelodi Sundowns beat Zamalek 3-0 in the first leg at Lucas Moripe Stadium. The Brazilians will travel to Egypt on Wednesday, looking to finish the job in Alexandria on Sunday night with kick-off at 8.30pm.
“We know that it will be difficult going to Egypt (and trying to wrap up the match there),” Dolly said.
“We had a good game as a team. We created more chances. We could have scored more. I don’t think that we should go into the next leg thinking that it will be easy. We won’t take this win for granted. We know that we still have to work hard.
“We don’t think that it’s over just yet. We know that they are good at home. But if we go with the same mentality and work as hard as we did in the first leg than we stand a good chance.”
Dolly is joined by teammates Khama Billiat and Denis Onyango on the long-list for the Footballer of the Year award. Kaizer Chiefs’ Itumeleng Khune also made an appearance. The Sundowns trio of Dolly, Billiat and Onyango are nominated along with their captain Hlompho Kekana in the Africa-based Footballer of the Year award.
Khune makes an appearance there too along with Yanick Zakri, who is recognised for his exploits with Asec Mimosas in the Champions League before he joined Sundowns.
“It’s good for the team and South Africa to have these nominations,” Dolly said.
“But for us it’s not about the individuals. It’s about the team. The more the team does well the better are our chances of getting nominated for these awards and even winning them. I think that credit must go to the entire team, everyone deserves to be there. For now, our focus is on the next game and then we will focus on other things.”
African Player of the Year Nominees Longlist
Ahmed Musa (Nigeria; Leicester City), Andre Ayew (Ghana; West Ham), Aymen Abdennour Tunisia; Valencia), Benjamin Mounkandjo (Cameroon; Lorient), Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo; Villareal), Denis Onyango (Uganda; Mamelodi Sundowns), El Arabi Hillel Soudani (Algeria; Dinamo Zagreb), Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast; Manchester United), Hakim Ziyech (Morocco; Ajax Amsterdam), Islam Slimani (Algeria; Leicester City), Itumeleng Khune (South Africa; Kaizer Chiefs), John Mikel Obi (Nigeria; Chelsea), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal; Napoli, Keagan Dolly (South Africa; Mamelodi Sundowns), Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria; Manchester City), Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe; Mamelodi Sundowns), Mbwana Samatta (Tanzania; Genk) Mehdi Benatia (Morocco; Juventus), Mohamed El Neny (Egypt; Arsenal), Mohamed Salah (Egypt; Roma), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon; Dortmund), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria; Leicester City), Sadio Mane (Senegal; Liverpool), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon; Antalyaspor), Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast; PSG), Victor Wanyama (Kenya; Tottenham), Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia; Sunderland), William Jebor (Liberia; Wydad Athletic Club), Yannick Bolasie (DR Congo; Everton) and Yao Kouasi Gervais Gervinho’ (Ivory Coast; Hebei Fortune)
Africa-based Player of the Year Nominees Longlist
Ali Gabr (Egypt; Zamalek), Aymen Hefny (Egypt; Zamalek), Aymen Mathlouthi (Tunisia; Etoile du Sahel), Bassem Morsy (Egypt; Zamalek), Chisom Chikatara (Nigeria; Wydad Athletic Club), Denis Onyango (Uganda; Mamelodi Sundowns), Elia Meschak (DR Congo; TP Mazembe), Fabrice Nguessi Ondama (Congo; Wydad Athletic Club), Hamza Lahmar (Tunisia; Etoile du Sahel), Hlompho Kekana (South Africa; Mamelodi Sundowns), Idris Mbombo (DR Congo; Zesco United), Itumeleng Khune (South Africa; Kaizer Chiefs), Jackson Mwanza (Zambia; Zesco United), Jesse Were (Kenya; Zesco United), Joel Kimwaki (DR Congo; TP Mazembe), Joyce Lomalisa (DR Congo; AS Vita), Keagan Dolly (South Africa; Mamelodi Sundowns), Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe; Mamelodi Sundowns), Mfon Udon (Nigeria; Enyimba), Morgan Betorangal (Chad; MO Bejaia), Rainford Kalaba (Zambia; TP Mazembe), Reda Hajhouj (Morocco; Wydad Athletic Club), Salif Coulibaly (Mali; TP Mazembe), William Jebor (Liberia; Wydad Athletic Club) and Yannick Zakri (Ivory Coast; Mamelodi Sundowns)
The Star