Spring Break
Beaver players join Eugene FC for international game
Three Oregon state soccer players are set to play against Italian U-21 futbol club
Nick Lilja
Issue date: 6/6/08 Section: Sports
If the Beaver football team played the New England Patriots, Beaver tickets would sell out immediately. On June 17, Eugene Metro FC Select, a men's team of former club players from this area, will be taking on Juventus, the most successful soccer club in Italy. It's a correct simile.
There will be three Oregon State players in the game - Tracy Hasson, Daniel Leach and Robbie Christner. They are excited to lace up against the best.
"Primavera is one of the top 5 clubs in the world," Hasson said. "It's exciting to have an opportunity to play a team of that caliber."
The Beavers have a chance to be a part of the game because of the relationship that Hasson has with the Eugene FC.
"I played for the team, and Robbie is from Thurston," Hasson said before he led on that the story is a little more complicated. "There was a guy from Italy that moved to Eugene and has connections with [AC Milan Primavera],"
AC Milan Primavera played in Eugene last year and Juventus heard about the game and wanted to get involved.
"It's pretty awesome," he said.
Pretty awesome indeed, the Juventus squad featuring its under-21 players is currently in first place in the Italian Primavera league and is the breeding ground for the national team that won the World Cup only a year ago.
"These guys are training to become pros, or already pros," Leach said.
The team includes four players from the Italian Youth National team: goalkeeper Carlo Pinsoglio, midfielders Fausto Rossi and Simone Esposito and defender Yobie Bassaoule.
"In Italy they have a youth program where the players grow up playing soccer," Hasson said. "In Italy, soccer is much more popular than in America. It's a priority."
Juventus, founded in 1897, is Italy's oldest and most successful professional soccer club, having won 40 league championships and 11 European championships including two UEFA Champions League titles. Hasson and Leach are excited at the prospect of playing such a talented and historical team.
There will be three Oregon State players in the game - Tracy Hasson, Daniel Leach and Robbie Christner. They are excited to lace up against the best.
"Primavera is one of the top 5 clubs in the world," Hasson said. "It's exciting to have an opportunity to play a team of that caliber."
The Beavers have a chance to be a part of the game because of the relationship that Hasson has with the Eugene FC.
"I played for the team, and Robbie is from Thurston," Hasson said before he led on that the story is a little more complicated. "There was a guy from Italy that moved to Eugene and has connections with [AC Milan Primavera],"
AC Milan Primavera played in Eugene last year and Juventus heard about the game and wanted to get involved.
"It's pretty awesome," he said.
Pretty awesome indeed, the Juventus squad featuring its under-21 players is currently in first place in the Italian Primavera league and is the breeding ground for the national team that won the World Cup only a year ago.
"These guys are training to become pros, or already pros," Leach said.
The team includes four players from the Italian Youth National team: goalkeeper Carlo Pinsoglio, midfielders Fausto Rossi and Simone Esposito and defender Yobie Bassaoule.
"In Italy they have a youth program where the players grow up playing soccer," Hasson said. "In Italy, soccer is much more popular than in America. It's a priority."
Juventus, founded in 1897, is Italy's oldest and most successful professional soccer club, having won 40 league championships and 11 European championships including two UEFA Champions League titles. Hasson and Leach are excited at the prospect of playing such a talented and historical team.
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