Ali Gerba

Ali Ngon Gerba (/ˈʒɛərbɑː/; born September 4, 1981) is a former professional soccer player who played as a forward. Born in Cameroon, he represented the Canada national team.

Ali Gerba
Gerba with Toronto FC in 2009
Personal information
Full name Ali Ngon Gerba
Date of birth (1981-09-04) September 4, 1981
Place of birth Yaoundé, Cameroon
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1994–1997 Bourassa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000 Montreal Impact 17 (7)
2001 Miami Fusion 0 (0)
2002 Toronto Lynx 4 (0)
2002 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 7 (1)
2003–2004 Montreal Impact 7 (0)
2004–2005 Toronto Lynx 53 (24)
2005 Montreal Impact 8 (4)
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 15 (4)
2008–2009 Milton Keynes Dons 24 (10)
2009–2010 Toronto FC 11 (1)
2010–2011 Montreal Impact 25 (11)
Total 213 (72)
International career
1999–2001 Canada U20 6 (0)
2005–2011 Canada 31 (15)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Canada and United States

In 2000 Gerba signed with the Montreal Impact, then of the A-League, where he recorded six goals and two assists, a club record for a rookie. In 2001 Gerba attempted a move up to Major League Soccer by signing with the Miami Fusion, but without success. In 2002 Gerba returned to the A-League when he signed with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Late in the season he was traded to the Toronto Lynx. In 2003, Gerba was the leading scorer for the Lynx with six goals when he was traded to the Impact late in the season. Gerba returned to the Lynx in 2004. During an outstanding season, he scored 15 goals, a club record. Gerba started for the Lynx in 2005,[1] scoring two goals, before returning to the Impact in exchange for Abraham Francois and Sita-Taty Matondo.[2] Gerba left the Lynx as the club's 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. As a result, Gerba was capped by Canada in the Gold Cup where he played three games and scored one goal.

Europe

After the Gold Cup Gerba joined Swedish club GIF Sundsvall of the Allsvenskan and scored 6 goals in 11 games. When the team was relegated to the Superettan, Gerba moved to Swedish club IFK Gothenburg on a three-year deal. In 2006, he was loaned to Odd Grenland in Norway, and in 2007 he went on loan again to Danish Superliga side AC Horsens before joining German club FC Ingolstadt 04 in January 2008. 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. On August 20, 2008, he made his first appearance for the Dons in a 3–0 away victory against Colchester United and scored his first goal in his second game, a 2–1 defeat to Peterborough United. The club announced they would not be offering Gerba a new contract for the 2009–10 season.

Return to 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 during which he set the club record for fastest goal in club history (18 seconds into the game) and scored the club's first regular season hat-trick.

At the end of the 2011 NASL season, head coach Jesse Marsch and sporting director Nick De Santis evaluated the Impact squad in preparation for the team's move to Major League Soccer, and Gerba was cut on October 12, 2011.[11]

International career

Gerba made his debut for Canada in a July 2005 friendly match against Honduras. By December 2009, he had 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 six.

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League League play-offs National Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Montreal Impact 2000[12] USL-1 177177
Miami Fusion 2001[12] MLS 0000
Toronto Lynx 2002[12] USL-1 4040
Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2002[12] USL-1 7171
Montreal Impact 2003[12] USL-1 7070
Toronto Lynx 2003[12] USL-1 217217
2004[12] USL-1 25152515
2005[12] USL-1 7272
Total 53245324
Montreal Impact 2005[12] USL-1 8484
GIF Sundsvall 2005[13] Allsvenskan 115115
IFK Göteborg 2006[13] Allsvenskan 5050
2007[13] Allsvenskan 1010
Total 6060
Odd Grenland (loan) 2006[13] Eliteserien 101101
AC Horsens (loan) 2006–07[13] Danish Superliga 154154
FC Ingolstadt 04 2007–08[13] Regionalliga Süd 15400––154
Milton Keynes Dons 2008–09[14] Football League One 24101000–2510
Toronto FC 2009[12] MLS 11120131
Montreal Impact 2010[12] USSF D2 139441713
2011[12] NASL 12221143
Total 251144213116
Career total 2137254212022277

International
Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gerba goal.
List of international goals scored by Ali Gerba
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1July 12, 2005Foxboro, U.S. Cuba2–12005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2June 1, 2007Maracaibo, Venezuela Venezuela2–2Friendly
3June 9, 2007Miami, U.S. Guadeloupe1–22007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
4June 16, 2007Foxboro, U.S. Guatemala3–02007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
5
6June 15, 2008Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines3–02010 World Cup Qualification
7
8June 20, 2008Montreal, Canada Saint Vincent and the Grenadines4–12010 World Cup Qualification
9
10September 10, 2008Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico Mexico1–22010 World Cup Qualification
11October 15, 2008Edmonton, Canada Mexico2–22010 World Cup Qualification
12June 30, 2009Oxnard, U.S. Guatemala3–0Friendly
13
14July 3, 2009Carson, U.S. Jamaica1–02009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
15July 7, 2009Columbus, U.S. El Salvador1–02009 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Honours

Individual

References
  1. LYNX RE-SIGN RECORD SETTING STRIKER!
  2. LYNX ACQUIRE TWO FROM IMPACT!
  3. "Lokvenc kommt zum FCI". Kicker.de. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  4. "Gerba released by FC Ingolstadt"
  5. "Toronto FC acquires Garcia from San Jose". Mlsnet.com. November 3, 2011. Archived from the original on November 9, 2007. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  6. James Chard (May 19, 2009). "Six players go in Dons clear-out". MK Citizen. Retrieved May 29, 2009.
  7. "Toronto FC Signs Canadian Ali Gerba". Mlsnet.com. November 3, 2011. Archived from the original on November 9, 2007. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  8. Gerba's debut for Toronto FC. Torontofc.ca (July 22, 2009). Retrieved on 2009-07-25.
  9. Crew down TFC in stoppage time Archived July 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine (July 25, 2009). Retrieved on July 26, 2009
  10. Impact adds familiar face by signing Gerba
  11. Yvan Delia-Lavictoire (October 12, 2011). "Impact make first seven cuts for 2012 MLS roster". MLSsoccer.com. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  12. Ali Gerba at National-Football-Teams.com
  13. "Ali Gerba » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  14. "Games played by Ali Gerba in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
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