PLAYER PROFILE: ABU DANLADI
By: PXI STAFF (@ProspectXI)
Position: FWD
Primary Role: Winger
Height: 5’10””
Weight: 170
DOB: 10-18-1995
Nationality: Ghana
Preferred Footed: Right
Club: UCLA (NCAA – D1)
Twitter: @AbuDanladi9
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:
No experience with the Ghana national team.
CURRENT STATUS:
Sophomore at UCLA (NCAA –D1), available for the 2016 MLS SuperDraft as a Generation Adidas player.
PLAYING CAREER:
2014: Ventura County Fusion (PDL) – 3 games, 190 minutes, 3 goals, 1 assists, 13 total shots
2014: UCLA (NCAA – D1) – 12 games, 9 starts, 5 goals, 4 assists, 13 shots on target, 2 yellows
2015: Ventura County Fusion (PDL) –
2015: UCLA (NCAA – D1) -19 games, 17 starts, 6 goals, 10 assists
ANALYSIS:
A dynamic forward, that loves to dribble with the ball and shoot from many areas in the field, Abu uses speed, acceleration and skill moves to beat defenders one-on-one and open space for himself to create opportunities. Abu is from Ghana, yet another player from the Right to Dream Academy who is making an impact in NCAA Division 1 soccer. He came to the United States in 2011 and played club soccer at Santa Barbara Soccer Club while also attending Dunn High School where he won the 2013-2014 Gatorade National Player of the Year.
Danladi chose to attend UCLA in 2014 and was named Top Freshman despite only playing in 12 games due to injury. He did score five goals, add four assists and was a key contributor in the Bruins making it to the National Championship final. There were rumors of him leaving school to try his career as a professional, but he has elected to return to UCLA for his sophomore season.
Danladi has also played two summers with Ventura County Fusion in the PDL, including scoring a goal against the LA Galaxy II in the second round of the 2015 US Open Cup. Abu is a prospect with huge potential, but one scouting concern is he only has limited opportunity against quality opposition and so questions still remain if he can be as dominant against more experienced defenders.
HIGHLIGHTS:
+ From the Right to Play Academy
+ Played two seasons with UCLA in NCAA-D1
+ Played two season with Ventura County in PDL
+ Available in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft as a potential GA player