View source for Ali Gerba

{{short description|Cameroonian-born Canadian soccer player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Ali Gerba
| image          = Ali Gerba TFC 2009.jpg
| caption        = Gerba with [[Toronto FC]] in 2009
| fullname       = Ali Ngon Gerba
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1981|9|04|mf=yes}}
| birth_place    = [[Yaoundé]], Cameroon
| height         = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}
| position       = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]]
| currentclub    = 
| youthyears1    = 1994–1997
| youthclubs1    = Bourassa
| years1         = 2000
| clubs1         = [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]]
| caps1          = 17
| goals1         = 7
| years2         = 2001
| clubs2         = [[Miami Fusion]]
| caps2          = 0
| goals2         = 0
| years3         = 2002
| clubs3         = [[Toronto Lynx]]
| caps3          = 4
| goals3         = 0
| years4         = 2002
| clubs4         = [[Pittsburgh Riverhounds]]
| caps4          = 7
| goals4         = 1
| years5         = 2003–2004
| clubs5         = [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]]
| caps5          = 7
| goals5         = 0
| years6         = 2004–2005
| clubs6         = [[Toronto Lynx]]
| caps6          = 53
| goals6         = 24
| years7         = 2005
| clubs7         = [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]]
| caps7          = 8
| goals7         = 4
| years8         = 2005
| clubs8         = [[GIF Sundsvall]]
| caps8          = 11
| goals8         = 5
| years9         = 2006–2007
| clubs9         = [[IFK Göteborg|IFK Gothenburg]]
| caps9          = 6
| goals9         = 0
| years10        = 2006
| clubs10        = → [[Odd Grenland]] (loan)
| caps10         = 10
| goals10        = 1
| years11        = 2007
| clubs11        = → [[AC Horsens]] (loan)
| caps11         = 15
| goals11        = 4
| years12        = 2008
| clubs12        = [[FC Ingolstadt 04]]
| caps12         = 15
| goals12        = 4
| years13        = 2008–2009
| clubs13        = [[Milton Keynes Dons F.C.|Milton Keynes Dons]]
| caps13         = 24
| goals13        = 10
| years14        = 2009–2010
| clubs14        = [[Toronto FC]]
| caps14         = 11
| goals14        = 1
| years15        = 2010–2011
| clubs15        = [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]]
| caps15         = 25
| goals15        = 11
| totalcaps      = 213
| totalgoals     = 72
| nationalyears1 = 1999–2001
| nationalteam1  = [[Canada U-20 men's national soccer team|Canada U20]]
| nationalcaps1  = 6
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2005–2011
| nationalteam2  = [[Canada men's national soccer team|Canada]]
| nationalcaps2  = 31
| nationalgoals2 = 15
| medaltemplates =
}}

'''Ali Ngon Gerba''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ʒ|ɛər|b|ɑː}}; born September 4, 1981) is a former professional [[association football|soccer]] player who played as a [[forward (association football)|forward]]. Born in Cameroon, he represented the [[Canada men's national soccer team|Canada national team]].

==Club career==

===Canada and United States===
In 2000 Gerba signed with the [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]], then of the [[A-League (1995-2004)|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,<ref>[http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports05/05lynx08.htm LYNX RE-SIGN RECORD SETTING STRIKER!]</ref> scoring two goals, before returning to the Impact in exchange for [[Abraham Francois]] and [[Sita-Taty Matondo]].<ref>[http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports05/05lynx45.htm LYNX ACQUIRE TWO FROM IMPACT!]</ref> 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 men's national soccer team|Canada]] in the [[CONCACAF Gold Cup|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 Göteborg|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.<ref name=released>{{cite web|url=https://www.kicker.de/lokvenc-kommt-zum-fci-207419/artikel |title=Lokvenc kommt zum FCI |publisher=[[Kicker (magazine)|Kicker]] |access-date=November 24, 2011}}</ref>

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]].<ref name=forum>[http://www.canadian-soccer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16006&whichpage=3 "Gerba released by FC Ingolstadt"] {{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> However, on August 7, 2008, he signed for [[Football League One]] newcomers [[Milton Keynes Dons F.C.|Milton Keynes Dons]]. On August 20, 2008, he made his first appearance for the Dons in a 3–0 away victory against [[Colchester United F.C.|Colchester United]] and scored his first goal in his second game, a 2–1 defeat to [[Peterborough United F.C.|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]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlsnet.com//news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090609&content_id=5225238&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280 |title=Toronto FC acquires Garcia from San Jose |publisher=Mlsnet.com |date=November 3, 2011 |access-date=November 24, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109113909/http://mlsnet.com/ |archive-date=November 9, 2007 }}</ref> a return to his hometown [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] and also with English sides, [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]], [[Stockport County F.C.|Stockport County]], [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]], [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] and [[Burton Albion F.C.|Burton Albion]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/sport/Six-players-go-in-Dons.5281078.jp|title=Six players go in Dons clear-out
|author=James Chard|publisher=[[MK Citizen]]|date=May 19, 2009|access-date=May 29, 2009}}</ref> Toronto FC announced the signing of Gerba on its website on June 23, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlsnet.com//news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090617&content_id=5371830&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280 |title=Toronto FC Signs Canadian Ali Gerba |publisher=Mlsnet.com |date=November 3, 2011 |access-date=November 24, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109113909/http://mlsnet.com/ |archive-date=November 9, 2007 }}</ref>
Gerba made his unofficial debut for Toronto FC in an international friendly against the Argentinean powerhouse [[Club Atlético River Plate]],<ref>[http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090722&content_id=6008952&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280 Gerba's debut for Toronto FC]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. [[Torontofc.ca]] (July 22, 2009). Retrieved on 2009-07-25.</ref> 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.<ref>[http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090725&content_id=6061694&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280 Crew down TFC in stoppage time] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090728234442/http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090725&content_id=6061694&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280 |date=July 28, 2009 }} (July 25, 2009). Retrieved on July 26, 2009</ref>

On July 15, 2010. Gerba joined the [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100718013618/http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Impact%2Badds%2Bfamiliar%2Bface%2Bsigning%2BGerba/3282916/story.html Impact adds familiar face by signing Gerba]</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |author=Yvan Delia-Lavictoire |url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/10/12/impact-make-first-seven-cuts-2012-mls-roster |title=Impact make first seven cuts for 2012 MLS roster |publisher=MLSsoccer.com |date=October 12, 2011 |access-date=November 24, 2011 |archive-date=December 30, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230141749/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/10/12/impact-make-first-seven-cuts-2012-mls-roster |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== International career ==
Gerba made his debut for [[Canada men's national soccer team|Canada]] in a July 2005 friendly match against [[Honduras national football team|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 Cup]]s 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===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|League play-offs
!colspan="2"|National Cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|[[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]]
|2000<ref name="nft">{{NFT|11834}}</ref>
|[[USL First Division|USL-1]]
|17||7||||||||||||||17||7
|-
|[[Miami Fusion]]
|2001<ref name="nft"/>
|[[Major League Soccer|MLS]]
|0||0||||||||||||||0||0
|-
|[[Toronto Lynx]]
|2002<ref name="nft"/>
|USL-1
|4||0||||||||||||||4||0
|-
|[[Pittsburgh Riverhounds]]
|2002<ref name="nft"/>
|USL-1
|7||1||||||||||||||7||1
|-
|Montreal Impact
|2003<ref name="nft"/>
|USL-1
|7||0||||||||||||||7||0
|-
|rowspan="4"|Toronto Lynx
|2003<ref name="nft"/>
|USL-1
|21||7||||||||||||||21||7
|-
|2004<ref name="nft"/>
|USL-1
|25||15||||||||||||||25||15
|-
|2005<ref name="nft"/>
|USL-1
|7||2||||||||||||||7||2
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!53!!24!!!!!!!!!!!!!!53!!24
|-
|Montreal Impact
|2005<ref name="nft"/>
|USL-1
|8||4||||||||||||||8||4
|-
|[[GIF Sundsvall]]
|[[2005 Allsvenskan|2005]]<ref name="wf">{{cite web |title=Ali Gerba » Club matches |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/ali-gerba/2/ |website=worldfootball.net |access-date=1 July 2021}}</ref>
|[[Allsvenskan]]
|11||5||||||||||||||11||5
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[IFK Göteborg]]
|[[2006 Allsvenskan|2006]]<ref name="wf"/>
|Allsvenskan
|5||0||||||||||||||5||0
|-
|[[2007 Allsvenskan|2007]]<ref name="wf"/>
|Allsvenskan
|1||0||||||||||||||1||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!6!!0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!6!!0
|-
|[[Odd Grenland]] (loan)
|[[2006 Eliteserien|2006]]<ref name="wf"/>
|[[Eliteserien]]
|10||1||||||||||||||10||1
|-
|[[AC Horsens]] (loan)
|[[2006–07 Danish Superliga|2006–07]]<ref name="wf"/>
|[[Danish Superliga]]
|15||4||||||||||||||15||4
|-
|[[FC Ingolstadt 04]]
|[[2007–08 Regionalliga|2007–08]]<ref name="wf"/>
|[[Regionalliga Süd (1994–2012)|Regionalliga Süd]]
|15||4||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||15||4
|-
|[[Milton Keynes Dons F.C.|Milton Keynes Dons]]
|[[2008–09 Football League One|2008–09]]<ref>{{Soccerbase season|41998|2008}}</ref>
|[[Football League One]]
|24||10||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||25||10
|-
|[[Toronto FC]]
|2009<ref name="nft"/>
|MLS
|11||1||||||||||2||0||13||1
|-
|rowspan="3"|Montreal Impact
|[[2010 Montreal Impact season|2010]]<ref name="nft"/>
|[[USSF Division 2 Professional League|USSF D2]]
|13||9||4||4||||||||||17||13
|-
|[[2011 Montreal Impact season|2011]]<ref name="nft"/>
|[[North American Soccer League (2011)|NASL]]
|12||2||||||2||1||||||14||3
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!25!!11!!4!!4!!2!!1!!!!!!31!!16
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!213!!72!!5!!4!!2!!1!!2!!0!!222!!77
|}

===International===
:''Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gerba goal''.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Ali Gerba
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| align="center"|1 || July 12, 2005 || [[Foxborough, Massachusetts|Foxboro]], U.S. || {{fb|CUB}} || || align="center"|2–1 || [[2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup]]
|-
| align="center"|2 || June 1, 2007 || [[Maracaibo]], Venezuela || {{fb|VEN}} || || align="center"|2–2 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
| align="center"|3 || June 9, 2007 || [[Miami]], U.S. || {{fb|Guadeloupe|local}} || || align="center"|1–2 || [[2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup]]
|-
| align="center"|4 || rowspan="2"|June 16, 2007 || rowspan="2"|Foxboro, U.S. || rowspan="2"|{{fb|Guatemala}} || || rowspan="2" align="center"|3–0 || rowspan="2"|2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
|-
| align="center"|5 ||
|-
| align="center"|6 || rowspan="2"|June 15, 2008 || rowspan="2"|[[Kingstown]], Saint Vincent and the Grenadines || rowspan="2"|{{fb|VIN}} || || rowspan="2" align="center"|3–0 || rowspan="2"|[[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification|2010 World Cup Qualification]]
|-
| align="center"|7 ||
|-
| align="center"|8 || rowspan="2"|June 20, 2008 || rowspan="2"|[[Montreal]], Canada || rowspan="2"|{{fb|VIN}} || || rowspan="2" align="center"|4–1 || rowspan="2"|2010 World Cup Qualification
|-
| align="center"|9 ||
|-
| align="center"|10 || September 10, 2008 || [[Tuxtla Gutierrez]], Mexico || {{fb|MEX}} || || align="center"|1–2 || 2010 World Cup Qualification
|-
| align="center"|11 || October 15, 2008 || [[Edmonton]], Canada || {{fb|MEX}} || || align="center"|2–2 || 2010 World Cup Qualification
|-
| align="center"|12 || rowspan="2"|June 30, 2009 || rowspan="2"|[[Oxnard, California|Oxnard]], U.S. || rowspan="2"|{{fb|Guatemala}} || || rowspan="2" align="center"|3–0 || rowspan="2"|Friendly
|-
| align="center"|13 ||
|-
| align="center"|14 || July 3, 2009 || [[Carson, California|Carson]], U.S. || {{fb|Jamaica}} || || align="center"|1–0 || [[2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup]]
|-
| align="center"|15 || July 7, 2009 || [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]], U.S. || {{fb|El Salvador}} || || align="center"|1–0 || 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
|}

==Honours==
'''Individual'''
* [[USSF Division 2 Professional League|USSF D-2 Pro League]] Best XI: [[USSF Division 2 Professional League#2010 season|2010]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Canada Soccer}}
* {{MLS player}}
* {{NFT player}}
* {{Soccerbase}}
* {{drdkstat|589152|archive=20120309021441}}
* {{webarchive |title=Ali Gerba player profile at mkdons.com |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090101063655/http://www.mkdons.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0%2C%2C10420~44235%2C00.html |date=January 1, 2009}}
* {{ifkdb|name=#15 Ali Gerba}}

{{Navboxes
|title=Canada squads
| bg = red
| fg = white
|list1=
{{Canada Squad 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{Canada Squad 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{Canada Squad 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{Canada Squad 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
}}
  <!--WP:Notable in year 2000-->

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gerba, Ali}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Yaoundé]]
[[Category:Cameroonian emigrants to Canada]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of Canada]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Montreal]]
[[Category:Francophone Quebec people]]
[[Category:Black Canadian men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Canadian men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Canada men's international soccer players]]
[[Category:2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Sweden]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Norway]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Denmark]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:Miami Fusion players]]
[[Category:Montreal Impact (1992–2011) players]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC players]]
[[Category:Toronto Lynx players]]
[[Category:GIF Sundsvall players]]
[[Category:IFK Göteborg players]]
[[Category:Odds BK players]]
[[Category:AC Horsens players]]
[[Category:FC Ingolstadt 04 players]]
[[Category:Milton Keynes Dons F.C. players]]
[[Category:Toronto FC players]]
[[Category:USL First Division players]]
[[Category:USL Second Division players]]
[[Category:USSF Division 2 Professional League players]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (2011–2017) players]]
[[Category:Allsvenskan players]]
[[Category:Eliteserien players]]
[[Category:Danish Superliga players]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Norway]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Cameroonian descent]]
[[Category:A-League (1995–2004) players]]
[[Category:Miami Fusion draft picks]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen]]