Christ Bongo

Christ Bongo-Zanoni (born 11 August 1976) is a Congolese former professional footballer who played as a striker. He played for SV Wilhelmshaven, Hannover 96, Gazélec Ajaccio, FC Aarau, FC Schaffhausen, FC Solothurn, FC Thun and FC 105 Libreville, and also represented the Republic of the Congo internationally.

Christ Bongo
Personal information
Full name Christ Bongo-Zanoni
Date of birth (1976-08-11) 11 August 1976
Place of birth Kinshasa, Zaire
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1997 SV Wilhelmshaven 26 (6)
1997–1998 Hannover 96 II
1998–1999 Gazélec Ajaccio
1999 FC Aarau 4 (0)
1999–2000 FC Schaffhausen 10 (0)
2000–2001 FC Solothurn 6 (1)
2001–2002 FC Thun 4 (0)
2002 Prato 8 (0)
2003–2005 FC 105 Libreville
2006–2008 Sporting Cabinda
International career
2000–2001 Republic of the Congo 4 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Bongo was born in Kinshasa, Zaire. His first European club was SV Wilhelmshaven of the Regionalliga Nord, the third tier of German football. In his single season at the club he made 26 league appearances, scoring six goals.[1] Wilhelmshaven were involved in a struggle against relegation, but Bongo's goals, including a late winner against SV Lurup,[2] helped the club to finish a single place above the relegation zone. During the 1997 close season Bongo joined another Regionalliga Nord side, Hannover 96, signing a three-year contract.[3] His Hannover debut did not come until November, when he played in a 4–0 victory against Sportfreunde Ricklingen.[3]

He continued his nomadic career in France and Switzerland with Gazélec Ajaccio and FC Aarau, before signing for FC Schaffhausen on a one-year contract in 2000.[4] From there he moved to FC Solothurn, where he was top scorer, and scored the winner in a local derby against FC Grenchen.[5] This proved to be his last goal for the club before moving on loan to FC Thun until the winter break.[6][7]

In 2004, having returned to Africa with Gabonese club FC 105 Libreville, he scored against Cameroon's Bamboutos FC in the final of the Coupe de l'Uniffac, a competition contested by clubs from Central African countries, but finished on the losing side.[8] Bongo's late equalising goal sent the match into extra time, but his team were defeated 6–5 in a penalty shootout.

Bongo signed for Sporting Cabinda in Angola in 2006 and retired in 2008.[9]

International career

Bongo was capped at international level by the Republic of the Congo national team. In January 2001 he scored in a World Cup qualifier against Tunisia,[10] and was one of only three Congolese players to score in the qualifying tournament. The other were Edson Dico Minga and Walter Bakouma; in addition a Malagasy opponent scored an own goal.[11]

References
  1. "SV Wilhelmshaven Spieler in der Regionalliga Nord 1994 – 2008" (PDF) (in German). Deutscher Sportclub für Fußballstatistiken. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  2. Andreas Sude (10 March 1997). "0:1! Rektors Patzer nutzte Bongo aus" (in German). Hamburger Morgen Post. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  3. "Meldungen Saison 1997/98" (in German). Hannover96Online. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  4. "Souleyman Sané wechselt vom Linzer ASK zum FC Schaffhausen" (in German). News.ch. 14 February 2000. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  5. "Solothurner Sieg dank Bongos letztem FCS-Tor" (in German). FC Grenchen. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  6. "Christ Bongo wechselt vom FCS zum FC Thun" (in German). News.ch. 16 October 2001. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  7. "Transfers im Schweizer Fussball-Zirkus" (in German). News.ch. 21 February 2002. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  8. "Coupe de l'Uniffac 2004". RSSSF. 8 November 2006. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  9. "Sporting Vence Futebol Clube de Cabinda" (in Portuguese). ANGOP. 20 July 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  10. "Congo - Tunisia". FIFA. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  11. "World Cup 2002 Qualifying". RSSSF. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
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