MORAVA WROTE HISTORY: Serbian football club from Chicago won the city’s largest amateur league!

The football club Morava from Chicago wrote history by winning the Premier Soccer League of Chicagoland, the most prestigious amateur competition in the city. The club, which has existed for more than three decades, won the title in this league for the first time, and everything was decided in a dramatic derby of the last round.

Before the decisive match, Morava and the Greek Asteras Tripolis Chicago FC had 34 points each and shared the top of the table. The direct clash brought Morava a 2:1 victory, thanks to goals from Veljko Petković and Pera Vreća.

“The match was tough, just as befits a match that decides the champion,” captain Nemanja Nenadović told our portal. “We led 2:0 in the 60th minute, but the opponents reduced the score 15 minutes before the end. It was uncertain until the very last whistle. With a great fight and a lot of desire, we managed to hold on and reach the throne.”

“THIRD HALF” AT THE TOP OF CHICAGO

Morava is a club with a rich tradition – it was founded in 1993 and over the years has participated in numerous Chicago leagues. This is the third season in the Premier Soccer League of Chicagoland and the first title.

“Most of the guys have been in Morava for years. The most beautiful thing about it all is that we are like a family – socializing connects us as much as football,” adds Nemanja Nenadović. “That’s why we gave ourselves the nickname FK Third Half… but it seems we’re not bad in the first two either.”

This success comes after another trophy won in indoor football this winter. The club now plans to celebrate the title with fans and friends, and new challenges are already waiting next season.

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) is a non-profit organization. It is a member of the USSF and USASA through the Illinois State Soccer Association (ISSA).

The goal of the PSL is to provide its members with recreational but competitive soccer playing. League officials manage, plan, and supervise all activities necessary to achieve this goal. The league provides members with a schedule of matches and delegates referees. The PSL also makes efforts to promote football throughout the Chicago suburbs.

The league has a governing board whose members are elected to a two-year term, and the powers of the league and its members are determined by its statute.

The PSL is played according to FIFA rules, in an 11-on-11 format, with halves of 45 minutes each. The season consists of a regular part and a tournament in each division.

The PSL has four age categories: Open for men, over 30, over 40 and over 48 years. These categories are divided into divisions according to skill level.

Morava has proven that persistence, team spirit and friendship can conquer Chicago – in a football way.