Alan Gordon (soccer)

This article is about the American soccer player. For the Scottish footballer of the 1960s and 1970s, see Alan Gordon (Scottish footballer).
Alan Gordon

Gordon playing for LA Galaxy March 2015
(Photo: Simon Heseltine)
Personal information
Full name Alan Eugene Gordon II
Date of birth (1981-10-16) October 16, 1981
Place of birth Long Beach, California, United States
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 LA Galaxy
Number 9
College career
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2000–2001 Yavapai Roughriders
2002–2003 Oregon State Beavers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2004 Portland Timbers 27 (17)
2004 → LA Galaxy (loan) 3 (0)
2005–2010 LA Galaxy 96 (16)
2006 → Portland Timbers (loan) 1 (0)
2010 Chivas USA 9 (1)
2011 Toronto FC 8 (4)
2011–2014 San Jose Earthquakes 64 (18)
2014– LA Galaxy 42 (10)
National team‡
2012– United States 2 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 19, 2015.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of July 22, 2015

Alan Gordon (born October 16, 1981) is an American professional soccer player who plays for LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer.

Youth

Gordon moved to Gilbert, Arizona in his mid-teens, and played two years of college soccer for Yavapai College, where he scored 39 goals in his two seasons, before attending Oregon State University, where he won All Pac-10 honors twice,[1] and scored 11 goals as a junior and 15 as a senior.

Career

Professional

2004–2010

Upon graduating, Gordon was drafted 53rd overall in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft by Los Angeles Galaxy. He was awarded number 16, but in 2006 changed his number to 21. However, Gordon did not make the team, and signed with the Portland Timbers of the A-League. With the Timbers, Gordon was an instant success, playing 27 games and scoring 17 goals, tying Dante Washington for the league lead, and helped the Timbers finish the regular season with the league's best record. In recognition of his achievement Gordon was named the league's Rookie of the Year, and was a finalist for the MVP Award. After the end of the A-League season, Gordon was loaned back to the Galaxy. During the 2006 season, Gordon saw increased playing time for the Galaxy, scoring four goals.

On July 21, 2007 during a friendly with Chelsea, Gordon was pulled for David Beckham's first appearance with the Galaxy in the 78th minute. On April 26, 2008, Gordon scored two goals off the bench in the Galaxy's 5–2 victory over rivals Chivas USA. He finished 2008 with a career year. He scored five goals and seven assists, even though he was not a full-time starter.

2010–present

In August 2010, he was traded to neighboring Chivas USA for allocation money just one match short of his 100 league appearances with the Galaxy, during which time he notched 16 goals.[2] On November 24, 2010, he was selected by Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft,[3] but was immediately traded back to Chivas USA, along with Alejandro Moreno, for allocation money and an international roster spot.[4]

He was traded to Toronto FC on March 11, 2011 in exchange for Nick LaBrocca.[5] Gordon made his debut for Toronto on March 26 in a 2-0 home victory against Portland Timbers with both goals coming from Javier Martina.[6] On April 2 Gordon scored his first goal for Toronto in a 1–1 tie against his former team Chivas.[7] Gordon had a memorable return to The Home Depot Center on June 11 when he scored two goals against The Galaxy in a 2–2 thriller which saw two goals scored in injury time of the second half.[8]

Following Toronto's designated player signing of Danny Koevermans Gordon became a dispensable asset and was traded along with Jacob Peterson and Nana Attakora to San Jose Earthquakes for Ryan Johnson, allocation money and an international roster spot on July 14, 2011.[9] Gordon signed a new contract with San Jose in January 2012.[10] Alan Gordon has had a career best of 13 goals in 23 appearances with the Earthquakes.[11]

On April 14, 2013, during the 60th minute of a match with the Portland Timbers, Gordon was caught on camera using the word "Faggot" in reference to Portland midfielder Will Johnson. Gordon was suspended for three matches following the incident, in addition to the one-match ban he received for drawing a red card in the 78th minute of the same match.[12]

Gordon returned once again to Los Angeles when San Jose traded him to the Galaxy on August 11, 2014 in exchange for allocation money.[13] Gordon ended the season scoring five goals, four of them from off the bench.[14]

On March 15, 2015, Gordon started his first goal of the season against Portland Timbers in the 92nd minute, earning an away draw for the Galaxy.[15] On April 12, Gordon scored the winner in the match against Seattle Sounders which ended in a 1–0 victory for the Galaxy. On 2 May, Gordon replaced Ignacio Maganto in the 72nd minute of the game against Colorado Rapids. Within minutes of coming onto the pitch, Gordon scored from a corner taken by Ishizaki, earning Galaxy a 1–1 draw.[16]

At the start of the 2015 season, since the captain, Robbie Keane has been out of action due to international call-ups and injuries, Gordon has started four out of nine games and out of the nine games, he scored in three of them.

International

Gordon earned his first call-up to the United States men's national soccer team on August 13, 2012, in advance of a friendly match against Mexico on August 15. Gordon was again called up in October 2012 to prepare for the final two matches in the semifinal round of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He made his first international appearance on October 12, 2012 as a substitute against Antigua and Barbuda, where he provided a critical assist to Eddie Johnson, who scored a 90th minute game-winning goal.

He was called into the squad for the 2013 Gold Cup, after the USA advanced to the knockout stages. He did not play however, as the USA won the tournament.

He was also called into the squad for the 2015 Gold Cup, after the USA advanced to the knockout rounds, replacing Jozy Altidore, who is still trying to recover from an injury. He came on as a late substitute for Aron Johannsson in the US's 2–1 loss the Jamaica in the semi finals, but failed to make an impact.

Career statistics

As of August 18, 2015
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
USA League Open Cup League Cup North America Total
2004Portland TimbersUSL A-League27172020—3117
Los Angeles Galaxy (loan)Major League Soccer300010—40
2005Los Angeles Galaxy501030—90
200617443—00217
Portland Timbers (loan)USL First Division1000——10
2007Los Angeles GalaxyMajor League Soccer14300—43186
200826500——265
20092230030—253
2010121200020161
Chivas USA9100——91
Canada League Voyageurs Cup Playoffs North America Total
2011Toronto FCMajor League Soccer8422—00106
USA League Open Cup Playoffs North America Total
2011San Jose EarthquakesMajor League Soccer2100——21
201223132000—2513
2013244200011275
2014150 00 150
Los Angeles Galaxy145 5000195
201523510--23268
Total USA 237621431409627472
Canada 8422—00106
Career total 245661651409628478

Honors

Team

Portland Timbers
Los Angeles Galaxy
Toronto FC
San Jose Earthquakes

Individual

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Alan Gordon". MLSsoccer.com.
  2. ↑ http://www.cdchivasusa.com/news/2010/08/chivas-usa-acquires-forward-alan-gordon-trade
  3. ↑ Prost Amerika Archived July 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ "Whitecaps FC select ten players in MLS 2010 Expansion Draft - Trade four selections to three MLS clubs". Whitecapsfc.com. November 23, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Toronto FC Acquires Nick LaBrocca: Reds acquire Gordon". Torontofc.ca. March 11, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Martina Brace Leads The Way". Toronto FC. March 26, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Gordon Goal Gifts Reds a Draw". Toronto FC. April 2, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Reds Pull off shocker against Galaxy". Toronto Sun. June 12, 2011. Retrieved June 12, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Toronto FC trades Attakora, picks up Dunfield". CBC News. July 14, 2011.
  10. ↑ "San Jose Earthquakes re-sign forward Alan Gordon - San Jose Mercury News". Mercurynews.com. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  11. ↑ Alan Gordon (October 16, 1981). "Alan Gordon | San Jose Earthquakes". Sjearthquakes.com. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  12. ↑ MLS Communications (April 16, 2013). "San Jose Earthquakes forward Alan Gordon gets three-game suspension for homophobic slur". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
  13. ↑ http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2014/08/la-galaxy-acquire-forward-alan-gordon
  14. ↑ "LA Galaxy 1, Colorado Rapids 1 | MLS Match Recap". MLS Soccer. May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Portland Timbers 2-2 LA Galaxy | MLS Match Recap". Soccerway. March 15, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  16. ↑ "LA Galaxy 1, Colorado Rapids 1 | MLS Match Recap". MLS Soccer. May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.

External links

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