ESPN.com - ESPNINC/PRESSRELEASES - 2000 MLS playoffs and UEFA champions kick off

 Tuesday, September 12
2000 MLS playoffs and UEFA champions kick off
 
 September 12, 2000

Major League Soccer

The 2000 MLS playoffs will kick off on ESPN2 Thursday, Sept. 14, at 8:00 p.m. ET when the Tampa Bay Mutiny host the Los Angeles Galaxy. The match will feature the Mutiny's Carlos Valderrama, the league's assist leader, and Mamadou "Big Mama" Diallo, the league's scoring leader, against the Galaxy, led by U.S. national team player Cobi Jones and Mexican national team member Luis Hernandez. ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to present up to six matches for its fifth straight year of MLS playoff coverage.

This year, eight MLS teams - Kansas City Wizards, Chicago Fire, NY/NJ MetroStars, Tampa Bay Mutiny, Los Angeles Galaxy, Dallas Burn, New England Revolution and Colorado Rapids - survived the most competitive run to post-season action in the league's five-year history. Jack Edwards and JP Dellacamera will share play-by-play duties while Ty Keough will provide game analysis.

Highlights Include

Day Time (ET) Event Network
Sat,. Sept.23 3:30 p.m.Quarterfinal - Match #3ESPN2
Tue., Sept. 268 p.m.Semifinal - Match #1ESPN2
Fri., Sept. 295:30 p.m.Semifinal - Match #2ESPN2
Sat., Sept. 306 p.m.Semifinal - Match #2ESPN
Fri., Oct. 68 p.m.Semifinal - Match #3 (if necessary)ESPN
Tue., Aug. 159 p.m.Western Conference First Round Game #3 (if necessary)ESPN

UEFA Champions League

ESPN2 will present two live matches each week from the 2000-01 UEFA Champions League - the most competitive international league series in soccer. ESPN2's coverage of the international club championship series will begin Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 2:30 p.m. - continuing Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. - with the Group Phase I match from Lisbon, Portugal, featuring Sporting Club De Portugal vs. defending champions Real Madrid CF.

Other UEFA Champions League match ups
  • Match Day I Wed. 9/13 FC Barcelona vs. Leeds United AFC --- Barcelona, Spain
  • Match Day II Tue. 9/19 Leeds United AFC vs. Milan AC --- Leeds, England

    Veteran ESPN soccer commentators JP Dellacamera (play-by-play) and Tommy Smyth (analyst) will call match action.

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