PRONUNCIATION
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2017 (Columbus): Duka has not made an appearance this season. He missed the matches at Houston (March 11), at D.C. (March 18) and against Portland (March 25) due to a right gastroc contusion. Duka also missed the match against Orlando (April 1) after being listed as questionable that week with a right gastroc contusion. He missed the matches against Seattle Sounders FC (May 31) and the Colorado Rapids (June 3) after being listed as questionable with a left knee sprain during those weeks.
2016 (Columbus): Duka made 15 appearances (five starts) in 2016 during the first year of his second stint with the Black & Gold. He was signed on June 20 after Crew SC acquired his Right of First Refusal from the Montreal Impact in exchange for General Allocation Money, Targeted Allocation Money and Crew SC’s Second Round 2017 MLS SuperDraft pick. He made his 2016 debut as a second-half substitute at Sporting Kansas City (July 3). He made his first start of 2016 at central attacking midfield vs. Toronto FC (July 13). Started at central attacking midfield and recorded his first goal and assist of the season in a 3-0 victory over Chicago (October 1). He did not make an appearance in the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
2015 (Montreal): Duka scored two goals and added two assists over 27 appearances (19 starts) for Montreal in 2015. He made three appearances in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs, scoring a goal against Columbus in the Second Leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at MAPFRE Stadium on November 8, 2015. Prior to that, in the Impact’s run to the 2014-15 ScotiaBank CONCACAF Champions League Final, Duka made 10 appearances over the duration of the tournament, scoring two goals in the First Leg of the Quarterfinals against Pachuca. He also made three appearances in the 2015 Amway Canadian Championship.
2014 (Chicago/Montreal): Duka began the 2014 season with Chicago, making six appearances and three starts. On July 29, 2014, he was traded to the Montreal Impact in exchange for Sanna Nyassi. For Montreal, he totaled three goals and three assists over 14 appearances (12 starts).
2013 (Chicago): Prior to the 2013 MLS season, the Chicago Fire acquired the midfielder in exchange for Dominic Oduro. In his debut season with Chicago, Duka had a career-best four goal campaign, adding three assists. He also fired a single-season personal-best 62 shots over the campaign. For the second time in his MLS career, he scored in back-to-back games with goals at Columbus (June 22, 2013) and against San Jose (July 3, 2013). He made four appearances in the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as Chicago advanced to the Semifinals, recording an assist against Orlando City SC on June 27, 2013.
2012 (Columbus): Duka notched two assists over 20 appearances (14 starts) for Columbus.
2011 (Columbus): In his second professional season, Duka made 22 regular-season appearances (16 starts) for the Black & Gold. He scored two goals and added three assists, with his first career tally coming on October 15, 2011 at New England. His second goal came in his very next appearance, on October 22, 2011 at Chicago. He made his first MLS Cup Playoffs appearance with a start in Crew SC’s Knockout Round match at Colorado on October 27, 2011.
2010 (Columbus): Duka made three appearances (two starts) in his rookie season for Columbus after being drafted by Crew SC eighth overall in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. His debut came on August 14, 2010 against Real Salt Lake, and he made his first start on September 4, 2010 at D.C. United. In the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League, he made five appearances and notched two assists, on September 15, 2010 and on October 22, 2010, both against Joe Public FC. He also made three appearances in Crew SC’s run to the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Duka has made appearances for both the United States Under-23 and Under-20 National Team. His lone appearance with the U-23s came against Mexico on February 29, 2012. Duka appeared in all three of the Stars & Stripes' Group Stage matches in the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt, scoring one goal against Cameroon on September 29, 2009.
Columbus Crew SC signed midfielder Dilly Duka on June 20, 2016 after acquiring his Right of First Refusal from the Montreal Impact in exchange for General Allocation Money, Targeted Allocation Money and Crew SC’s Second Round 2017 MLS SuperDraft pick.
Name: Dilly Duka (DOO-kah)
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 160
Born: September 15, 1989 in Montville, NJ
Hometown: Montville, NJ
Citizenship: United States
Acquired: Columbus Crew SC signed midfielder Dilly Duka on June 20, 2016 after acquiring his Right of First Refusal from the Montreal Impact in exchange for General Allocation Money, Targeted Allocation Money and Crew SC’s Second Round 2017 MLS SuperDraft pick
Previous Experience: Montreal Impact (2014-15), Chicago Fire (2013-14), Columbus Crew SC (2010-12)
PERSONAL
Away from soccer, Duka likes to spend time with his family as well as watch movies and TV shows, with Game of Thrones, Ray Donovan and Walking Dead among his favorites. He also enjoys the outdoors as well as watching sports such as basketball, where he is a fan of the Brooklyn Nets. He had a multitude of soccer idols as a kid, listing Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira and Deco among his favorites, saying he looked up to creative, central possession players. He speaks Albanian in addition to English. His favorite soccer memory is playing in the 2014-15 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League final with the Montreal Impact. If he were not a professional soccer player, he would like to have gotten involved with his family business as his father has a construction company.
