Sanna Nyassi

Sanna Nyassi

Personal information
Full name	Sanna Nyassi
Date of birth	January 31, 1989 (1989-01-31)
Place of birth	Bwiam, The Gambia
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current club	Montreal Impact
Youth career
2001–2004	Gambia Ports Authority
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2004–2007	Gambia Ports Authority
2008	Seattle Sounders	4	(0)
2009–2010	Seattle Sounders FC	38	(2)
2011	Colorado Rapids	26	(5)
2012–	Montreal Impact	0	(0)
National team‡
2005	Gambia U17	3	(0)
2007	Gambia U20	2	(0)
2010–	Gambia	2	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of November 23, 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of February 3, 2011

Sanna Nyassi (born January 31, 1989 in Bwiam) is a Gambian footballer who currently plays for Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer.

Career

Professional

Nyassi began his professional career in 2004 with Gambia Ports Authority of the GFA League First Division. The midfielder remained with the club through the 2007 season, helping the club capture the 2007 Gambian FA Cup, and scoring the game-winning goal in the final.

Nyassi's play with the Gambian Under-20 National Team sparked interest among many Major League Soccer clubs. In late 2007 Nyassi was on trial with New England Revolution, the club that signed his twin brother Sainey. Following a trial spell with newly-formed Seattle Sounders FC, Sanna became the third player signed by the club. He was subsequently loaned to Seattle Sounders for the remainder of the 2008 season, prior to Seattle Sounders FC's MLS debut in 2009. On October 5, 2010 Nyassi scored two goals in the final of the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final to help Seattle to a 2-1 victory over Columbus Crew and capture its second straight Cup title. He became the first player in modern history to score multiple goals in the Cup final and was named Player of The Round as a result.

On November 24, 2010, he was selected by Vancouver Whitecaps FC as their first pick in the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft, but was immediately traded to Colorado Rapids. On July 20 in a match versus the New York Red Bulls, Nyassi scored his first MLS hat-trick and his first three goals for Colorado. His fourth goal of the season came on 29 July against the Philadelphia Union. Strike partner Omar Cummings set up Nyassi with a lovely through ball and the Gambian scored with a curling shot to put his side 2-0 up.

Nyassi was left exposed by Colorado in the 2011 MLS Expansion Draft and was selected by expansion side Montreal Impact.

International

Nyassi has represented his nation at various youth levels. He earned three caps playing for the Gambian U-17 national team in the 2005 African Under-17 Championship, scoring one goal against Burkina Faso. He also earned two caps for the U-20 national team in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. In 2010 he made his debut for the full national team.

Honours

Gambia Ports Authority

• Gambian Championnat National D1 (1): 2006
• Gambian Cup (1): 2007

Seattle Sounders FC

• Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (2): 2009, 2010

Individual

• Named MLS Humanitarian of the Month in April 2010
• MLS Player of the Week; for Week 19, 2011

Personal

Sanna is the twin brother of New England Revolution midfielder Sainey Nyassi.

See also

• List of current MLS players

External links

• MLS player profile
• Sanna Nyassi at National-Football-Teams.com