Ghana goalkeeper Fatau Dauda to set for playing time at South African side Orlando Pirates after coach Roger De Sa gave his biggest indication yet that he might be ready to hand the shot-stopper game time at Bucs with the World Cup looming.
The coach has been under intense pressure to field the Ghana international who has not played any competitive match since he joined the club in August last year.
Despite that predicament Dauda was Ghana’s first choice keeper and helped them to qualify for the World Cup.
But since then the goalkeeper has been pressurised to leave Pirates to save his place in the Ghana squad as his other competing goalkeepers are regular performers for their clubs.
Some even suggested that Dauda should not be called to the Ghana squad for the World Cup because of lack of playing time which prompted his decision to ask for a loan move away from the club.
Pirates turned down the request and gave him his first playing time at the club this week during a four-team tournament
Speaking after Pirates’ three friendlies against AC Leopards, Polokwane City and United FC on Tuesday, De Sa said it was important to get Dauda as ready as possible for the World Cup.
“Dauda got a full game today. It was very important that we get him as ready as possible because he has a big year ahead with the World Cup,” De Sa told the official Pirates twitter account.
Dauda kept a clean sheet in Bucs’ first game against AC Leopards, which Pirates won 1-0.
After the game, the Ghanaian goalkeeper told Ghana’s leading football news website GHANAsoccernet.com that he was happy to have played 90 minutes of football for Pirates.
“I’m happy I played today against a strong team. They gave us problems but in the end we did the job,” said Dauda.
“I managed to make only a few saves because our defence was tight. They played very well.
“I took a knock when the ball hit me in the head from close range. That man had a serious shot. But I’m cool now. No harm done,†concluded Dauda.
Pirates will play SuperSport United in an Absa Premiership match at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
