André Bona

André Bona
Bona playing for HFX Wanderers in 2019
Personal information
Full name André Gregory Bona[1]
Date of birth (1990-01-19) 19 January 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth Marseille, France
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
AS Afro–Antillais
SO Caillolais
Marseille
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2018 UQAM Citadins
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Longueuil 21 (3)
2019 HFX Wanderers 25 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2019

André Gregory Bona (born 19 January 1990) is a French professional footballer who plays as a defender.

Club career

Early career

Bona began playing football at age five with local club Afro–Antillais before switching to S.O. Caillolais.[2] At age thirteen, he joined the academy of Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille but ultimately left to focus on sprinting.[2] After six years competing at the national level in the 60m, 100m and 200m, Bona returned to football at the senior amateur level.[2] In 2014, he received offers from clubs in the Championnat National 2 and Championnat National 3, but opted to pursue an education overseas in Canada instead.[2]

From 2014 to 2018 Bona attended the Université du Québec à Montréal, where he studied environmental science.[2] In 2017, he signed with local PLSQ side CS Longueuil and made nine league appearances that season.[3] The following year, he made another twelve league appearances for Longueuil, scoring three goals.[3]

HFX Wanderers

On 12 November 2018, Bona was selected in the second round of the CPL–U Sports Draft, 10th overall, by the HFX Wanderers.[4] On 29 March 2019, Bona officially signed with Wanderers and made his Canadian Premier League debut on 28 April 2019 as a substitute in the club's inaugural match.[5][6]

André Bona scored his first goal for Halifax in the round Two in the Canadian Championship in Winnipeg against Valour FC on 12 June 2019. During injury time the defender countered Valour FC off a corner and demonstrated his pace by sprinting and scoring on an open net, sealing a 2-0 win at Investors Group Field stadium.[7][8][9] On 14 December 2019, the club announced that Bona would not return for the 2020 season.[10]

References

  1. ^ "UQAM Citadins 2017-18" (in French). UQAM. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e "André Bona's interview". Medium. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b "PTS-Ligue Archive" (in French). TSI Sports. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  4. ^ Gareth Hampshire (13 November 2019). "Halifax born goalkeeper among three University draft picks for HFX Wanderers". HFX Wanderers FC. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  5. ^ "Andre Bona". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  6. ^ Gareth Hampshire (29 March 2019). "Wanderers sign U SPORTS draft picks Bona & Schaale". HFX Wanderers FC. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  7. ^ https://hfxwanderersfc.canpl.ca/article/wanderers-proud-to-represent-halifax-and-cpl-in-can-champ-ottawa-fury-clash [dead link‍]
  8. ^ "HIGHLIGHTS: HFX advance in CanChamp after shutting down Valour". 12 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Kourouma, Bona lead Wanderers over Valour in Canadian Championship series | Times Colonist". Archived from the original on 14 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  10. ^ Gareth Hampshire (14 December 2019). "HFX Wanderers FC thank non-returning players". HFX Wanderers FC. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.