Sadri Gjonbalaj

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Sadri Gjonbalaj

| image =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|1|5}}

| birth_place = Vusanje, SR Montenegro,
SFR Yugoslavia

| height =

| position = Forward

| collegeyears1 = 1983–1986

| college1 = NC State Wolfpack

| years1 = 1987–1989

| years2 = 1988

| years3 = 1989

| years4 = 1990

| years5 = 1990–1991

| years6 = 1991

| years7 = 1991–1992

| years8 = 1993

| years9 = 1994

| years10= 1994–1995

| years11= 1995

| clubs1 = Los Angeles Lazers (indoor)

| clubs2 = → Albany Capitals (loan)

| clubs3 = New Jersey Eagles

| clubs4 = Washington Diplomats

| clubs5 = New York Kick (indoor)

| clubs6 = Chicago Power (indoor)

| clubs7 = Milwaukee Wave (indoor)

| clubs8 = Raleigh Flyers

| clubs9 = New York Fever

| clubs10= Canton Invaders (indoor)

| clubs11= New York Centaurs

| caps1 = 6

| caps2 =

| caps3 = 17

| caps4 =

| caps5 =

| caps6 = 9

| caps7 = 25

| caps8 =

| caps9 =

| caps10= 13

| caps11= 20

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 =

| goals3 = 6

| goals4 =

| goals5 =

| goals6 = 2

| goals7 = 18

| goals8 =

| goals9 =

| goals10= 11

| goals11= 4

| nationalyears1 = 1984–1985

| nationalyears2 = 1986–1993

| nationalteam1 = U.S. U-20

| nationalteam2 = United States

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalcaps2 = 5

| nationalgoals1 =

| nationalgoals2 = 1

}}

Sadri Gjonbalaj (born 1966) is an American retired football player who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League and National Professional Soccer League. He also earned five caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national team.

Early life

Gjonbalaj was born in Vusanje, a village in SR Montenegro, SFR Yugoslavia (modern-day Montenegro). Him and his family moved to Brooklyn, New York when he was a child. {{citation needed|date=February 2014}}

Career

=College=

Gjonbalaj attended from the age of 17 at North Carolina State University where he played on the Wolfpack's soccer team from 1983 to 1986.[https://gopack.com/news/2008/8/7/NC_State_Men_s_Soccer_History_of_Success NC State Men's Soccer History of Success]

=Professional=

In June 1987, the Los Angeles Lazers of the Major Indoor Soccer League selected Gjonbalaj in the first round (2nd overall) of the 1987 MISL Draft."NO SURPRISE, FORCE PICKS BLISS WITH 1ST PICK" Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio) Wednesday, June 24, 1987 In May 1988, the Lazers loaned Gjonbalaj to the Albany Capitals of the American Soccer League."BROOKLYN IMPORT GIVES CAPITALS A LIFT IN DEBUT" Times Union (Albany, New York) Sunday, May 22, 1988 In 1989, he was with the New Jersey Eagles of the ASL.{{Cite web |url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1989.html#ASL |title=The Year in American Soccer – 1989 |access-date=2009-12-05 |archive-date=2012-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209161757/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1989.html#ASL |url-status=dead }} Then in 1990, he moved to the Washington Diplomats of the ASL successor league, the American Professional Soccer League. In the fall of 1990, he signed with the New York Kick of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL)."GAME SHOULD BE A KICK FOR FANS" Times Union (Albany, New York) Sunday, November 4, 1990 In January 1991, the Kick sold Gjonbalaj's contract to the Chicago Power."SPORTS" Chicago Tribune Friday, January 18, 1991 He played nine games and scored two goals as the Power won the NPSL championship.{{Cite web|url=http://members.toast.net/pudgym30a/stats91.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709163213/http://members.toast.net/pudgym30a/stats91.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-09|title=1990-91 Chicago POWER individual player statistics.|date=2011-07-09|access-date=2018-08-14}} In December 1991, he signed with the Milwaukee Wave."Attack hammers Wave to move into division lead" Milwaukee Sentinel Saturday, December 28, 1991 In 1993, he played for the Raleigh Flyers of the USISL."Flyers turn back Columbia 2-0 on late goals by Kreis, Gjonbalaj The News & Observer Saturday, June 12, 1993 He then moved to the New York Fever for the 1994 season. In December 1994, he returned to the NPSL when he signed with the Canton Invaders.[http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/soccer/misl/misl95.txt NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS -- 1994–1995] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130903221618/http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/soccer/misl/misl95.txt |date=2013-09-03 }} In 1995, he was with the New York Centaurs of the A-League where he scored four goals in twenty games.[http://goalseattle.com/gallery/1996SeattleSoundersMediaGuide/1996media_17 GOALSeattle.com Galleries :: 1996 Seattle Sounders Media Guide :: 1996media_17] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927230151/http://goalseattle.com/gallery/1996SeattleSoundersMediaGuide/1996media_17 |date=2007-09-27 }}

National team

In 1984 and 1985, Gjonbalaj played for the United States U-20 men's national soccer team."MEXICAN JUNIOR TEAM BEATS U.S. IN SOCCER Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio) Sunday, March 24, 1985 Gjonbalaj also earned five caps with the U.S. national team.[http://national.soccerhall.org/Registry/MensNationalTeam_F-J.htm#G U.S. Men's National Team Player Registry: F – J] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731194542/http://national.soccerhall.org/Registry/MensNationalTeam_F-J.htm |date=2009-07-31 }} His first appearance came in a February 5, 1986 scoreless tie with Canada when he came on for Brent Goulet. His next cap did not come until a June 12, 1987 loss to South Korea.[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesu/usa-intres-det80.html USA – Details of International Matches 1980–1989] He had to wait three more years for his third cap which came in a September 14, 1991 win over Jamaica. Gjonbalaj scored the U.S. goal in the 1–0 victory. It was another two years before Gjonbalaj appeared for the U.S. again, this time on March 23, 1993, in a tie with El Salvador. His last cap came two days later on March 25, 1993.[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesu/usa-intres-det90.html USA – Details of International Matches 1990–1994]