Sandi Gbandi
Encyclopedia
Sandy Gbandi is a Liberia
n soccer player.
rubber plantation, Gbandi and his family fled from his native Liberia to Houston, Texas
following the outbreak of the First Liberian Civil War in 1989, when he was just six years old. Gbandi went on to attend Jersey Village High School
, played club soccer for the Houston Dynamos and the Houston Texans as a youth, and played four years of college soccer
at University of Alabama at Birmingham
. Gbandi played in 56 games for UAB, scoring 10 goals and adding 14 assists. As a sophomore in 2004 he was selected First Team All-Conference USA and then was named Second Team All-Conference USA a year later.
by FC Dallas
, but he never saw any first team-minutes with the team, and was waived at the end of the season.
Gbandi signed with the Puerto Rico Islanders
in the USL First Division
in 2008, helping the Islanders win the 2008 USL First Division regular season title and progressed to the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League 2008–09
. Gbandi stayed with Puerto Rico through the 2010 season.
On March 15, 2011, Gbandi signed with NSC Minnesota Stars
of the second division North American Soccer League
. He was released by the club on November 29, 2011.
, is also a professional soccer player; they played together at FC Dallas
in 2007 and against each other in 2010, when Chris joined Miami FC
.
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 soccer player.
Early life and college
Born near the FirestoneFirestone
-Harvey Firestone family:*Harvey Samuel Firestone , founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company*Harvey Samuel Firestone, Jr., son of Firestone founder*Elizabeth Parke Firestone, daughter-in-law of Harvey Firestone and mother of Martha Firestone...
rubber plantation, Gbandi and his family fled from his native Liberia to Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
following the outbreak of the First Liberian Civil War in 1989, when he was just six years old. Gbandi went on to attend Jersey Village High School
Jersey Village High School
Jersey Village High School is located in Jersey Village, Texas, United States. The school, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. Ralph Funk serves as its principal....
, played club soccer for the Houston Dynamos and the Houston Texans as a youth, and played four years of college soccer
College 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 University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
. Gbandi played in 56 games for UAB, scoring 10 goals and adding 14 assists. As a sophomore in 2004 he was selected First Team All-Conference USA and then was named Second Team All-Conference USA a year later.
Professional
Gbandi left school early when he was selected in the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft2007 MLS Supplemental Draft
The 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft was held on January 18, 2007, following the SuperDraft , as teams fill out their developmental rosters.-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-References:*...
by 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...
, but he never saw any first team-minutes with the team, and was waived at the end of the season.
Gbandi signed with the Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders is a Puerto Rican professional football team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
in 2008, helping the Islanders win the 2008 USL First Division regular season title and progressed to the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League 2008–09
CONCACAF Champions League 2008–09
The 2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League was the first edition of the CONCACAF club football championship modelled after the UEFA Champions League. It has replaced the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. The championship began on 26 August 2008, and it concluded 12 May 2009. Atlante of Mexico won the...
. Gbandi stayed with Puerto Rico through the 2010 season.
On March 15, 2011, Gbandi signed with NSC Minnesota Stars
NSC Minnesota Stars
The NSC Minnesota Stars is an American professional soccer team based in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
of the second division North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League (2010)
The North American Soccer League is a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico which began league play on April 9, 2011. It has been provisionally sanctioned as the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, behind Major League Soccer in the...
. He was released by the club on November 29, 2011.
Personal
Sandy's brother, Chris GbandiChris Gbandi
Chris Gbandi is a Liberian footballer currently playing for Miami FC in the USSF Division 2 Professional League.-College:...
, is also a professional soccer player; they played together at 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...
in 2007 and against each other in 2010, when Chris joined 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...
.
Puerto Rico Islanders
- USSF Division 2 Pro League Champions (1): 2010
- Commissioner's CupUSL First DivisionThe United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
Winners (1): 2008United Soccer Leagues 2008The 2008 Season is the 22nd edition of the United Soccer Leagues season.The season kicked off on Friday, April 12 with two First Division games, as the Charleston Battery visited Miami FC and the Montreal Impact visited the Vancouver Whitecaps.-General:... - CFU Club ChampionshipCFU Club ChampionshipThe CFU Club Championship or CFU Club Champions' Cup is the annual international football competition held amongst association football clubs from the Caribbean Islands for clubs that are members of the Caribbean Football Union...
Winner (1): 20102010 CFU Club Championship--------- Group B :All matches hosted in Puerto Rico. Officially, Bayamón played as visitor in the first leg.----- Group C :All matches hosted in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.--------- Group D :All matches hosted in Guyana....