Ahead of his maiden Soweto derby as a Kaizer Chiefs player, the in-form Keagan Dolly has reminisced about how he always wanted to feature in this titanic encounter as a young Amakhosi fan.

Dolly is odds-on to start for Chiefs when they welcome their Soweto foes Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium tomorrow (3.30pm). The 28-year-old ace has been in fantastic form since joining Chiefs as a free agent before the start of the season, after his contract with French club Montpellier wasn’t renewed.

Excitement and confidence sum up the mood Dolly was in when he addressed the media at a derby press conference at Sandton’s Hotel Sky yesterday. The Chiefs star opened up about his childhood dream to play for Chiefs against Pirates.

“The derby will always be one of the biggest games in Africa. Growing up, I supported Chiefs. I had a privilege to go to the stadium when I was six or seven years old, with my dad. I was able to watch a few of derbies as a kid, watching players like Jabu Pule [now Mahlangu] in a packed stadium,’’ Dolly said. 

“I always saw myself playing in the Soweto derby. Luckily now I have that opportunity to finally realise my childhood dream. Even though we won’t have supporters but I know I will have my family, people that’s been Chiefs fans since I was born, at home supporting me.’’

Out of the nine games he’s played across all competitions this term, Dolly has managed three goals and four assists while resurrecting his combination with Khama Billiat, whom he played with at Ajax Cape Town and Mamelodi Sundowns before.

“I can’t explain the relationship I have with Khama. It started at Ajax… I mean, from the first day that I joined Ajax he was there already and we just clicked. He understand what I am going to do when I am on the ball and he understand where he is going to run. It’s something we build off the field as well,’’ Dolly said of his telepathy with Billiat.

Fixtures

Today: SuperSport v Galaxy, Lucas Moripe, 5.30pm.

Tomorrow: Chiefs v Pirates, FNB Stadium, 3.30pm; Stellenbosch v Arrows, Danie Craven, 5pm.

Sunday: Royal v Baroka, Chatsworth, 3.30pm; Chippa v Maritzburg, Nelson Mandela Bay, 3.30pm; Swallows v Sekhukhune, Dobsonville, 3.30pm; Gallants v Sundowns, Peter Mokaba, 5.30pm; AmaZulu v CPT City, Moses Mabhida, 6pm.