USL News Release

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

CREMA, ITALY - The New York Magic Super-20 League team has advanced to the Championship of the Trofeo Dossena tournament in Crema, Italy after a 2-1 come from behind victory over Genoa earlier tonight. The first team ever from the club to play in Europe, the U20’s have represented well, advancing out of the group stage with a 1-1-1 record setting up tonight’s semi-final encounter.

2009 marks the 33rd edition of the prestigous tournament and features the Primavera or youth sides from some of the best clubs in Italy and around the world. Featured in Group B along with the Magic were a Serie C XI, Atalanta and Sampdoria.

Beginning play last Friday, July 12, it did not take long for Magic forward Christian Uy to get his feet wet in Italy, striking in the first minute of the match to put the New York side ahead. The Serie C XI equalized in the 66th minute of the 80 minute match, keeping the Magic from enjoying a dream start in Italy.

The next day, despite a hard fought match, Magic fell 1-0 to Atalanta, with striker Jurgen Pandiani 39th minute strike making the difference for the Italians.

Sitting at the bottom of Group B, on one point from their first two matches, Magic needed a victory in their final encouter with group leaders Sampdoria to have any chance of advancing to the tournament semifinals.

Their hopes looked dashed after ten minutes when Sampdoria went up 1-0 via a strike from Nicola Ferrari. Despite controlling the rest of the half, Magic could not find the equalizer.

With their backs to the wall, the club came out with purpose in the second frame and were rewarded for their efforts in the 51st minute when Christian Uy cut a ball back to teammate C.J. Crooks who hammered home the equalizer.

With only minutes left, Magic continued to press for the winner and found it when Crooks returned the favor, playing a ball across to Uy for the winner in the 78th minute.

Combined with the Serie C XI’s 1-0 victory over Atalanta, the result granted Magic passage to today’s semi-final match with Group A winners Genoa. Before tonight, the club was the only team to stay unbeaten in the group stage, going 2-0-1 in matches against Brazilian club Gremio (2-2), hosts Pergocrema (4-0) and A.C. Milan (2-1).

In tonight’s semi-final the Americans fell behind in the 6th minute through a strike from Genoa’s Stephan El Shaarawy, though Magic kept up the fight and midfielder Evan Kluge leveled the tie in first half stoppage time.

It was more late game heroics from Magic, this time striker Shawn Cinn found the back of the net two minutes from time, reserving the New York club’s spot in Friday’s championship match against the winner of tomorrow’s game between the Serie C XI and A.C. Milan.

The finale kicks off at 9:00 PM Central European Time (3:00 PM Eastern) on Friday, June 19.