Ali Gerba

Ali Ngon Gerba (/ˈʒɛərbɑː/; born September 4, 1981) is a retired Cameroonian-born Canadian soccer player who played as a forward.

Ali Gerba
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 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 19 (1)
2002–2003 Toronto Lynx 25 (6)
2003–2004 Montreal Impact 7 (5)
2004–2005 Toronto Lynx 32 (17)
2005 Montreal Impact 8 (5)
2005 GIF Sundsvall 11 (6)
2006–2007 IFK Gothenburg 6 (0)
2006 → Odd Grenland (loan) 10 (1)
2007 → AC Horsens (loan) 15 (4)
2008 FC Ingolstadt 04 11 (10)
2008–2009 Milton Keynes Dons 24 (10)
2009–2010 Toronto FC 11 (1)
2010–2011 Montreal Impact 29 (15)
Total 225 (94)
National team
1999–2001 Canada U-20 6 (0)
2005–2011 Canada 31 (15)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Canada/United States

In 2000 Gerba signed with the Montreal Impact, then of the A-League, where he recorded 6 goals and 2 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.

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

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.

International goals
#DateCityOpponentResultCompetition
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
5June 16, 2007Foxboro, U.S. Guatemala3–02007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
6June 15, 2008Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines3–02010 World Cup Qualification
7June 15, 2008Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines3–02010 World Cup Qualification
8June 20, 2008Montreal, Canada Saint Vincent and the Grenadines4–12010 World Cup Qualification
9June 20, 2008Montreal, Canada Saint Vincent and the Grenadines4–12010 World Cup Qualification
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
13June 30, 2009Oxnard, U.S. Guatemala3–0Friendly
14July 3, 2009Carson, U.S. Jamaica1–02009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
15July 7, 2009Columbus, U.S. El Salvador1–02009 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Career statistics
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 MLS1110––––––2001310
Total second division1204715440210–––1285215

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. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
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