Ali Ahamada

Ali Ahamada (born 19 August 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Tanzanian Premier League club Azam.

Born in France, he plays for the Comoros national team.

Born in Martigues, France, Ahamada began his football career at Martigues and stayed there for nine years before joining Toulouse in 2009.

Months after joining the club, he was called up to the first team following the injury of Olivier Blondel and appeared as an unused substitute against Sochaux on 10 December 2009.

Ahamada was involved in the club's first team throughout the pre–season friendlies prior to the 2010–11 season.

However, he did not feature in Toulouse's first team squad until November and appeared in the substitute bench for the next two months.

At the end of the 2010–11 season, he went on to make eight appearances in all competitions.

Both French newspapers La Dépêche du Midi and Le Figaro praised his performance.

Ahamada made his professional debut on 20 February 2011 appearing against Rennes appearing as a substitute for the injured Marc Vidal.

Four days later on 24 February 2011, he signed his first professional contract with the club, keeping him until 2014.

Three weeks later on 12 March 2011, Ahamada recorded his first clean sheets when he helped Toulouse beat Lens 1–0.

After sitting out on the substitute bench for the next four matches, Ahamada made his return to the starting line–up against SM Caen on 24 April 2011, as the club drew 1–1.

Following this, he continued to regain his place as Toulouse's first choice goalkeeper for the rest of the season.

Ahamada recorded five more clean sheets, including three consecutive clean sheets against Lyon, Lorient and Valenciennes.

Ahead of the 2011–12 season, Ahamada switched number shirt from 50 to 40.

However in the club's pre–season friendly tour, he suffered an abductor injury, but soon recovered.

Ahamada started the season well when he kept two clean sheets in the first two league matches against Ajaccio and Dijon.

Since the start of the 2011–12 season, Ahamada continued to regain his first team place as Toulouse's first choice goalkeeper.

His performance was praised by fellow goalkeeper, Cédric Carrasso, saying the player has qualities and has his own technique in his ball catch.

He then kept three clean sheets in three matches between 15 October 2011 and 30 October 2011 against Marseille, Lorient and Rennes.

By the end of the first half of the season, Ahamada recorded ten clean sheets in the club's first nineteen matches of the season.

On 15 December 2011, he signed a contract with Toulouse, keeping him until 2015.

At the end of the 2011–12 season, Ahamada started in every league match, playing thirty–eight times, as he went on to make thirty–nine appearances in all competitions.

Ahamada, once again, kept three clean sheets between 18 February 2012 and 4 March 2012 against AS Nancy, Sochaux and Marseille.

A week later, he kept another two clean sheets in two matches between 18 March 2012 and 25 March 2012 against Rennes and Auxerre.

At the start of the 2012–13 season, Ahamada continued to establish himself as Toulouse's first choice goalkeeper.

He helped the club made a good start to the season, earning nineteen points to in the first ten league matches.

On 22 September 2012, Ahamada scored the 2–2 goal in a league game at home to Rennes by heading in the ball in stoppage time (in the 95th minute).

In doing, he became the first goalkeeper to score since Grégory Wimbée.

After the match, Le Figaro named Ahamada Team of the Week.

However, his performance against Bordeaux and Ajaccio led the player to be dropped from the starting line–up against Nice on 18 November 2012.

But he made his return to the starting line–up against Lyon on 25 November 2012 and kept a clean sheet, in a 3–0 win.

Following this, Ahamada regained his first choice goalkeeper status role for the next four months.

Following this, Ahamada later started as Toulouse's first choice goalkeeper in the last remaining matches of the 2012–13 season.

At the end of the 2012–13 season, he went on to make thirty–seven appearances and scoring once in all competitions.

Following this, Goal.com named Ahamada as the worst player of the season, saying: "This was a rare high point for the goalkeeper, who has endured a torrid campaign. Even behind a relatively reliable defence he has been beset by problems and has made numerous gaffes."

After making an error against Rennes on 10 February 2013, he redeemed himself by keeping four consecutive clean sheets between 23 February 2013 and 17 March 2013 against Valenciennes, Évian, Brest and Bordeaux.

However in a match against Nice on 6 April 2013, Ahamada received a straight red card in the 82nd minute for handling a ball outside of the area, as Toulouse lost 4–3.

After serving a one match suspension, he returned to the first team against Lorient on 21 April 2013, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute for Olivier Blondel and played for the rest of the game, as the club lost 1–0.

Ahead of the 2013–14 season, Manager Alain Casanova said that he would be continuing to use Ahamada as the club's first choice goalkeeper role.