SERBS PLAY THE BEST SOCCER IN CHICAGO: Two of our clubs in the semifinals of a prestigious tournament, “Dinara” narrowly lost in the final! (VIDEO)

Last night at “Soccer City” in Chicago, the European Soccer League tournament concluded, featuring the best football teams from three states – Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. In an exciting final match, the Ukrainian team “Connection” from Chicago claimed victory, defeating “Dinara” from Indiana 3:2 with a goal scored two minutes before the end!

Interestingly, another Serbian team, “United Serbs” from Chicago, also reached the semifinals, but in the match for a place in the final they too lost to the Ukrainians, with a score of 3:0.

In the Serbian derby played during the group stage, “Dinara” won 1:0 against the young team “United Serbs” after a hard-fought and uncertain battle.

FIERCE IN THE SERBIAN DERBY: Two of our teams made it into the top 4 at the tournament

The “Dinara” team, which reached the final after five convincing victories, according to all observers played by far the most beautiful football at the tournament. The squad is composed mostly of our boys – Serbs from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Croatia – reinforced by one Bosniak from Velika Kladuša, a Pole, a Ukrainian, and a Colombian!

THEY PLAYED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FOOTBALL: Dinara was dominant all the way to the final

“Dinara” is also last year’s champion of the “Europa Soccer League,” so these matches served as good preparation for what awaits them in the continuation of the season – defending the title.

The president of “Dinara,” Vasil Kolar, told Serbian Times that he is satisfied with the result:

–We played excellently throughout the tournament, convincingly winning all the way to the final, and it was decided by a refereeing decision, a questionable penalty awarded against us when the opponent was leading 1:0. We managed to come back, equalized at 2:2, but chasing the result we somewhat lost strength and conceded that goal at the very end.

ONE BATTLE IS LOST, THE WAR FOLLOWS: Dinara convincingly won 5 matches before the final

He adds that the team is entering the new season prepared, with the desire to defend the championship title, and already next week a new challenge awaits them:

–We are playing the Super Cup match and I hope we will open this season with a trophy, and then encouraged by that set out to defend the league title, says Kolar, who as a young man was part of the refugee column of Krajina and Dalmatian Serbs expelled during Operation Storm.

Sixteen teams participated in the tournament, and besides the Serbian ones there were also Polish, Ukrainian, Greek, Albanian and other teams mostly composed of members of European nations living in these areas, who have traditionally played the best football in America.

At the tournament we also saw several well-known faces from the world of football, both those who long ago hung up their boots and those still in full strength.

We also had a brief conversation with the famous Tomi Isirov, a Macedonian international who once won the American indoor soccer title with the Chicago Power.

PLAYED WITH LEGENDS: Tomi Isirov is tied by friendships with Serbian players

At that time, Isirov played with Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, and our grand masters Srba Stamenković and Vladislav Bleki Bogićević, with whom he shares friendships and fond memories.

We also met young Polish goalkeeper Damian Laz, who until recently defended the colors of English Premier League club Fulham F.C., as well as the young and talented Serbian Vukašin Bulatović, who was born and raised in Chicago in the Serbian club Chicago Blast, and currently plays for Lithuanian top-division side Riteriai.

CAREER IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE: Damian Laz (standing) went from Chicago straight to English Fulham

Bulatović recalled his football beginnings with his friend, well-known Serbian actor Stefan Jevtović, who at the tournament defended the colors of “Dinara.”

REMEMBERING THEIR FOOTBALL BEGINNINGS: Vukašin Bulatović and Stefan Jevtović

Serbian Times will continue to follow and report on the successes of our football clubs in Chicago and America, and already next week we will be cheering for “Dinara” in its attempt to win the Super Cup.