Ali Gerba

Ali Gerba
Personal information
Full name Ali Ngon Gerba
Date of birth September 4, 1981 (1981-09-04) (age 30)
Place of birth Yaoundé, Cameroon
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current club Free Agent
Youth career
1994–1997 Bourassa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000 Montreal Impact 17 (6)
2001 Miami Fusion 0 (0)
2002 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 19 (1)
2002–2003 Toronto Lynx 25 (6)
2003–2004 Montreal Impact 7 (1)
2004–2005 Toronto Lynx 32 (17)
2005 Montreal Impact 8 (5)
2005 GIF Sundsvall 11 (5)
2006–2007 IFK Gothenburg 6 (0)
2006 Odd Grenland (loan) 10 (1)
2007 AC Horsens (loan) 15 (4)
2008 FC Ingolstadt 04 11 (3)
2008–2009 Milton Keynes Dons 24 (10)
2009–2010 Toronto FC 11 (1)
2010–2011 Montreal Impact 29 (15)
National team
1999–2001 Canada U-20 6 (0)
2005– Canada 31 (15)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of September 11, 2011.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of June 11, 2011

Ali Ngon Gerba ( /ˈʒɛərbɑː/; born September 4, 1981 in Yaoundé) is a Cameroonian-born Canadian soccer player.

Contents

Career

Canada/United States

In 2000 Gerba signed with the Montreal Impact where he recorded 6 goals and 2 assists, a club record for a rookie. In 2001 Gerba signed with the Miami Fusion of the MLS but had little success in Miami. In 2002 Gerba returned to the USL First Division and signed with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds but late in the season he was traded to the Toronto Lynx.

In 2003, Gerba was the leading scorer for the Lynx scoring six goals but again Gerba was traded to the Impact late in the season. But Gerba returned to the Lynx in 2004 where he had an outstanding season where he scored 15 goals a club record. Gerba returned to the Lynx for the 2005 season[1] where he scored two goals before getting traded to the Impact in exchange for Abraham Francois and Sita-Taty Matondo.[2] Gerba left the Lynx as the clubs second highest all-time scorer with 24 goals in total.

With the Impact Gerba played an important role in helping the team stay undefeated in 15 games, a league record. Gerba was rewarded by being selected to represent Canada in the Gold Cup where he played three games and scored one goal.

Europe

After the Gold Cup Gerba was signed by GIF Sundsvall where he scored five goals in 11 games but the team was relegated to the Superettan. When GIF Sundsvall were relegated Gerba signed a three year deal with Swedish club IFK Gothenburg. In 2006, he was loaned to Odd Grenland in Norway, and in the beginning of 2007 he went on loan to Danish Superliga side AC Horsens, but the club did not want to keep him, so in January 2008 he signed with German FC Ingolstadt 04. In June 2008, he was released from his contract with the club.[3]

As of June 28, 2008, Gerba was being linked with a return to North America to join Canadian manager Frank Yallop at Major League Soccer club San Jose Earthquakes.[4] However, on August 7, 2008, he signed for Football League One newcomers Milton Keynes Dons awaiting for his work permit to be stamped. On August 20, 2008, he made his first appearance for the Dons in a 3–0 away victory against Colchester United. He scored his first goal for the Dons in his second game for them in the 2–1 defeat to Peterborough United. Milton Keynes Dons announced they would not be offering Gerba a new contract for the 2009–10 season.

Canada

Gerba was linked with moves to MLS with Toronto FC,[5] a return to his hometown Montreal Impact and also with English sides, Millwall, Stockport County, Oldham Athletic, Brentford and Burton Albion.[6] Toronto FC announced the signing of Gerba on its website on June 23, 2009.[7] Gerba made his unofficial debut for Toronto FC in an international friendly against the Argentinean powerhouse Club Atlético River Plate,[8] at BMO Field on July 22, 2009. Gerba scored on his MLS debut vs. Columbus Crew on July 25, 2009 in a 3-2 loss.[9]

On July 15, 2010. Gerba joined the Montreal Impact[10] for his 4th stint with the team. Since rejoining the Impact, Gerba has set the club record for fastest goal in club history (18 seconds into the game) as well as recording the club's first regular season hat-trick.

At the end of the 2011 NASL season, Gerba and the rest of the Impact squad were evaluated in preparation for the teams move to Major League Soccer, but he was cut by team on October 12, 2011.[11]

International

Gerba made his debut for Canada in a July 2005 friendly match against Honduras. By December 2009, he has the country's most prolific strike-rate, with 15 goals in 28 full internationals.

Gerba has represented Canada in three CONCACAF Gold Cups and 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. He is the all-time leader in goals for Canada at the Gold Cup with 6.

International goals

# Date City Opponent Result Competition
1 July 12, 2005 Foxboro, USA  Cuba 2–1 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2 June 1, 2007 Maracaibo, Venezuela  Venezuela 2–2 Friendly
3 June 9, 2007 Miami, USA  Guadeloupe 1–2 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
4 June 16, 2007 Foxboro, USA  Guatemala 3–0 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
5 June 16, 2007 Foxboro, USA  Guatemala 3–0 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
6 June 15, 2008 Kingstown, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3–0 2010 World Cup Qualification
7 June 15, 2008 Kingstown, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3–0 2010 World Cup Qualification
8 June 20, 2008 Montreal, Canada  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4–1 2010 World Cup Qualification
9 June 20, 2008 Montreal, Canada  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4–1 2010 World Cup Qualification
10 September 10, 2008 Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico  Mexico 1–2 2010 World Cup Qualification
11 October 15, 2008 Edmonton, Canada  Mexico 2–2 2010 World Cup Qualification
12 June 30, 2009 Oxnard, USA  Guatemala 3–0 Friendly
13 June 30, 2009 Oxnard, USA  Guatemala 3–0 Friendly
14 July 3, 2009 Carson, USA  Jamaica 1–0 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
15 July 7, 2009 Columbus, USA  El Salvador 1–0 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Career stats

Team Season League Domestic
League
Domestic
Playoffs
Domestic
Cup1
Concacaf
Competition2
Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Montreal Impact 2000 USL-1 17 6 2 - - - - - - - - - 17 6 2
Miami Fusion 2001 MLS 0 0 0 - - - - - - - - - 0 0 0
Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2002 USL-1 7 1 0 - - - - - - - - - 7 1 0
Toronto Lynx 2002 USL-1 4 0 0 - - - - - - - - - 4 0 0
2003 USL-1 20 7 2 - - - - - - - - - 20 7 2
Montreal Impact 2003 USL-1 7 0 1 - - - - - - - - - 7 0 1
Toronto Lynx 2004 USL-1 25 15 4 - - - - - - - - - 25 15 4
2005 USL-1 7 2 0 - - - - - - - - - 7 2 0
Montreal Impact 2005 USL-1 8 5 2 - - - - - - - - - 8 5 2
Toronto FC 2009 MLS 11 1 0 - - - - - - 2 0 0 13 1 0
Montreal Impact 2010 USSF D2 13 9 1 4 4 0 - - - - - - 17 13 1
2011 NASL 12 2 3 - - - 2 1 0 - - - 14 3 3
Total MLS 11 1 0 - - - - - - 2 0 0 13 1 0
Total second division 120 47 15 4 4 0 2 1 0 - - - 128 52 15

Honors

Individual

References

External links