ESPN to Show 43 International Matches Friday and Tuesday
Twelve Top 20 Ranked Teams; 42 Qualifying Matches for 2014 FIFA World Cup, including USA-Guatemala
ESPN will present 43 live matches, 42 of which are 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying contests, on Friday, Oct. 12, and Tuesday, Oct. 16. The matches will begin Friday with Russia, No. 12 in FIFA World Ranking, vs. No. 3 Portugal with striker Cristiano Ronaldo at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN, and conclude on Tuesday with the pivotal USA vs. Guatemala game at 7:15 p.m. on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes Radio and WatchESPN.
The U.S., currently in a three-way tie with Guatemala and Jamaica in their group, needs a tie or win to advance to the Hexagonal - the CONCACAF's fourth and final round matches for 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification. ESPN's lead play-by-play commentator Ian Darke, analyst Taylor Twellman and sideline reporter Mónica González will call the U.S.-Guatemala match. Host Bob Ley and analysts Alexi Lalas and Kasey Keller will provide studio commentary from Kansas City. Match coverage will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a 45-minute pre-game program.
In addition to live match telecasts, ESPN Deportes coverage will include special editions of the following studio programs: a one-hour edition of Destino Brasil, the FIFA World Cup qualifying news and highlights program (Friday, 10 a.m. and Tuesday, 2 p.m.); Fuera de Juego (Friday and Tuesday at 9 p.m.); Futbol Picante (Friday, 8 p.m., and Tuesday, 12 a.m.); and Los Capitanes (Tuesday, 1 p.m.).
Other highlights:
· The FIFA World Cup qualifying matches will include 12 of the top 20 teams in FIFA World Ranking such as Spain (No. 1), Germany (2), Portugal (3), England (5), Netherlands (6), and Italy (8).
· On Friday at 2 p.m., 2010 FIFA World Cup champion Spain travels to Belarus (ESPN Deportes and ESPN3); and on Tuesday, will host No. 13 France at 3 p.m. on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN.
· England will travel to Poland on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 3 p.m. on ESPN3.
· Two Netherlands matches - vs. Andorra on Friday at 2:30 p.m., and at Romania on Tuesday at 2 p.m. - will be on ESPN3.
· Guyana vs. Mexico on Friday at 9 p.m. will be broadcast by ESPN Deportes Radio.
Schedule:
Date Time (ET) Matchup Network(s)
Fri, Oct 12 11:00 a.m. Russia vs. Portugal
ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes / WatchESPN
11:30 a.m. Finland vs. Georgia
ESPN3
12:00 p.m. Czech Republic vs. Malta
ESPN3
(ESPN Deportes: 10/13 at 11 a.m.)
1:00 p.m. Armenia vs. Italy
ESPN3
(ESPN Deportes: 4 p.m.)
1:00 p.m. Albania vs. Iceland
ESPN3
1:30 p.m. Liechtenstein vs. Lithuania
ESPN3
1:30 p.m. Turkey vs. Romania
ESPN3
(ESPN Deportes: 10/13 at 1 p.m.)
2:00 p.m. Belarus vs. Spain
ESPN3 / ESPN Deportes
2:00 p.m. Bulgaria vs. Denmark
ESPN3
(ESPN Deportes: 10/13 at 3 p.m.)
2:00 p.m. Moldova vs. Ukraine
ESPN3
2:15 p.m. Slovakia vs. Latvia
ESPN3
2:30 p.m. Serbia vs. Belgium
ESPN3
2:30 p.m. Switzerland vs. Norway
ESPN3
2:30 p.m. Macedonia vs. Croatia
ESPN3
2:30 p.m. Estonia vs. Hungary
ESPN3
2:30 p.m. Netherlands vs. Andorra
ESPN3
(ESPN Deportes: 6 p.m.)
2:45 p.m. Slovenia vs. Cyprus
ESPN3
2:45 p.m. Greece vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina
ESPN3
3:00 p.m. Luxembourg vs. Israel
ESPN3
3:00 p.m. France vs. Japan (Friendly)
ESPN3
9:00 p.m. Guyana vs. Mexico ESPN Deportes Radio
Tue, Oct 16 11:00 a.m. Russia vs. Azerbaijan
ESPN3 / ESPN Deportes
12:00 p.m. Belarus vs. Georgia
ESPN3
12:00 p.m. Israel vs. Luxembourg
ESPN3
1:00 p.m. Andorra vs. Estonia
ESPN3
1:00 p.m. Latvia vs. Liechtenstein
ESPN3
2:00 p.m. Croatia vs. Wales
ESPN3
2:00 p.m. Romania vs. Netherlands
ESPN3
(ESPN Deportes: 5 p.m.)
2:00 p.m. Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Lithuania
ESPN3
2:00 p.m. Czech Republic vs. Bulgaria
ESPN3
2:00 p.m. Cyprus vs. Norway
ESPN3
2:30 p.m. Slovakia vs. Greece
ESPN3
2:30 p.m. San Marino vs. Moldova
ESPN3
2:30 p.m. Iceland vs. Switzerland
ESPN3
2:30 p.m. Macedonia vs. Serbia
ESPN3
2:30 p.m. Hungary vs. Turkey
ESPN3
2:45 p.m. Belgium vs. Scotland
ESPN3
(ESPN Deportes: 10/17 at 11 a.m.)
2:45 p.m. Germany vs. Sweden
ESPN3
2:45 p.m. Albania vs. Slovenia
ESPN3
3:00 p.m. Poland vs. England
ESPN3
3:00 p.m. Spain vs. France
ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes / WatchESPN
3:45 p.m. Portugal vs. Northern Ireland
ESPN3
(ESPN Deportes: 10/17 at 1 p.m.)
7:15 p.m. USA vs. Guatemala
Ian Darke, Taylor Twellman & Mónica González
ESPN2 / WatchESPN
**All matches and times subject to change
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