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Cape Town - South Africa's U-23 coach Owen Da Gama believes Mamelodi Sundowns winger Keagan Dolly is as important to Bafana Bafana as Neymar is too Brazil.
Da Gama was speaking after Dolly starred for the senior men's national side in their AFCON qualifier against Gambia away from home over the weekend.
Dolly scored two beautiful goals, both from long-range, and set up another two as Bafana disposed of the Gambians 4-0 in their own backyard.
The 23-year-old Dolly will be part of Da Gama's side when they take on the world at the Olympics in Rio later this year, but the left-footed player will not be part of the friendlies preceding the event out of respect for his club.
Da Gama said: "As much as Brazil respect Neymar, we respect Dolly. Neymar is not part of the friendly matches [for Brazil] so we understand that it's important to reach that compromise with Sundowns as well.
"We're playing Japan, which is official, on the 29th [of June]. There's also another big friendly lined up on the 8th [of July] which will be announced by management which is also massive, so we hope to have [Dolly] there too."
