Chris Gbandi
Encyclopedia
Chris Gbandi is a Liberia
n footballer currently playing for Miami FC
in the USSF Division 2 Professional League
.
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).
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. http://fc.dallas.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?player=gbandi_c&playerId=gba444955&team=t104 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.
2007 was another good year for Gbandi, he made 21 appearances and scored a spectacular goal against Real Salt Lake
.
On February 8, 2008, he completed a transfer to Norwegian club FK Haugesund, 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
.
, 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.
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Chris also scored three goals in a scrimmage to beat Claudio Ferre's U-16 side.
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
n footballer currently playing for Miami FC
Miami FC
Fort Lauderdale Strikers is an American professional association football team based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in the USSF Division 2 Professional League
USSF Division 2 Professional League
USSF Division 2 Professional League was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation in 2010 to last just one season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding United Soccer Leagues and the North American Soccer League...
.
College
Gbandi played college soccerCollege soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
, where he was a finalist for the Hermann Trophy
Hermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
in 1999 and 2001, and a winner in 2000 (he was named First Team All-American
Division I First-Team All-American (soccer)
The Division I First-Team All-Americans are the best eleven U.S. college soccer players as selected by the NCAA.-1970–1983:From 1970 to 1983 the NCAA only named defenders and forwards in addition to one goalkeeper.-1983–present:...
during his last two years in college).
Professional
Gbandi was drafted with the first overall pick of the 2002 MLS SuperDraft2002 MLS SuperDraft
The 2002 Major League Soccer SuperDraft.-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:...
by Dallas Burn, but missed all of the 2002 season while rehabilitating a torn anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
(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
Cotton Bowl (stadium)
The Cotton Bowl is a stadium which opened in 1929 and became known as "The House That Doak Built" due to the immense crowds that former SMU running back Doak Walker drew to the stadium during his college career in the late 1940s. Originally known as Fair Park Stadium, it is located in Fair Park,...
by an FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
player. http://fc.dallas.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?player=gbandi_c&playerId=gba444955&team=t104 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.
2007 was another good year for Gbandi, he made 21 appearances and scored a spectacular goal against Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
.
On February 8, 2008, he completed a transfer to Norwegian club FK Haugesund, 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
Miami FC
Fort Lauderdale Strikers is an American professional association football team based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
International
It was speculated that Gbandi might cap for the United States national teamUnited States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, however, in 2004 he accepted an offer from the Liberian national team
Liberia national football team
The Liberia national football team, nicknamed the Lone Stars, is the national team of Liberia and is controlled by the Liberia Football Association. Although the country produced the 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year, George Weah, they have never reached the World Cup finals...
to compete in the 2006 World Cup Qualifiers, making him ineligible for the US squad.
Career statistics
http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/player.php?id=10147|-
|2002||rowspan="6"|Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
||rowspan="6"|Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
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|2004||23||0||||||||||||||||
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|2005||17||1||||||||||||||||
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|2006||28||0||||||||||||||||
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|2007
2007 Major League Soccer season
The 2007 Major League Soccer season was the 12th season in league history. The season began on April 7 and concluded with MLS Cup 2007 on November 18, 2007 at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.....
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|2008
Norwegian First Division 2008
The 2008 Norwegian First Division season began on 5 April 2008 and ended on 1 November 2008.In 2009, the number of teams in the Norwegian Premier League will expand from fourteen to sixteen...
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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.