- Chris Gbandi
-
Chris Gbandi 
Personal information Full name Chris Gbandi Date of birth April 7, 1979 Place of birth Bong Mines, Liberia Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Playing position Left Back Club information Current club Miami FC Number 6 Youth career 1999–2001 Connecticut Huskies Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2002–2007 FC Dallas 111 (3) 2008–2009 Haugesund 37 (5) 2010– Miami FC 19 (0) National team‡ 2004– Liberia 1 (0) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of September 25, 2010.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of July 16, 2006Chris Gbandi (born April 7, 1979 in Bong Mines) is a Liberian footballer currently playing for Miami FC in the USSF Division 2 Professional League.
Contents
Career
College
Gbandi played college soccer at the University of Connecticut, where he was a finalist for the Hermann Trophy in 1999 and 2001, and a winner in 2000 (he was named First Team All-American during his last two years in college).
Professional
Gbandi was drafted with the first overall pick of the 2002 MLS SuperDraft by Dallas Burn, but missed all of the 2002 season while rehabilitating a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). He returned in the 2003 season, where he registered one goal and two assists after playing 22 games in a disappointing campaign for the Burn. Gbandi played in another 23 games in 2004. In 2005, Gbandi made 17 appearances, all starts, and scored what happened to be the last goal ever scored at the Cotton Bowl by an FC Dallas player. [5] 2006 was his best season yet, Gbandi played in 28 games and earned FC Dallas's defender of the year honors. Over the off season Gbandi had a trial with IK Start, but nothing became of it.[1]
2007 was another good year for Gbandi, he made 21 appearances and scored a spectacular goal against Real Salt Lake.[2]
On February 8, 2008, he completed a transfer to Norwegian club FK Haugesund,[3] where he spent the next two seasons, scoring 5 goals in 37 appearances for the team.
Gbandi returned to the United States in 2010 when he signed with USSF Division 2 club Miami FC.[4]
International
It was speculated that Gbandi might cap for the United States national team, however, in 2004 he accepted an offer from the Liberian national team to compete in the 2006 World Cup Qualifiers, making him ineligible for the US squad.[5]
Career statistics
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals USA League Open Cup League Cup North America Total 2002 Dallas Major League Soccer 0 0 2003 22 1 2004 23 0 2005 17 1 2006 28 0 2007 21 1 Norway League Norwegian Football Cup League Cup Europe Total 2008 Haugesund First Division Total USA 111 3 Norway 0 0 Career total 111 3 Personal
Chris's brother, Sandy Gbandi, is also a professional soccer player.
Chris also scored three goals in a scrimmage to beat Claudio Ferre's U-16 side.
References
External links
Categories:- 1979 births
- Living people
- Liberian footballers
- Liberia international footballers
- Dallas Burn players
- FC Dallas players
- Connecticut Huskies men's soccer players
- FK Haugesund players
- Miami FC players
- American people of Liberian descent
- Expatriate footballers in Norway
- USSF Division 2 Pro League players
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