By TIM FONTENAULT
ESPN has released their broadcaster pairings for the second week of the World Cup, which concludes with the final matches of the group stage.
As always, Ian Darke and Taylor Twellman will be on the call for the United States Men’s National Team, taking charge of both Sunday’s match against Portugal and Thursday’s against Germany. On Tuesday, the pair will split up, with Darke joining Steve McManaman for England’s match against Costa Rica while Twellman joins Daniel Mann for the Group C clash between Japan and Colombia.
ESPN’s go-to commentators for Mexico, Fernando Palomo and Alejandro Moreno, will call El Tri’s critical Group A finale against Croatia on Monday. They will stray from their Mexico coverage on Friday to team up on the call for the Honduras-Ecuador match. Palomo will join Kasey Keller for Honduras’ finale against Switzerland. At the same time, Moreno will be with Adrian Healey for the other Group E match between France and Ecuador.
J.P. Dellacamera and Tommy Smyth will again lead the radio coverage. The duo will have the ESPN Radio call for both U.S. games while Mark Donaldson and Janusz Michallik will have the Mexico finale.
Here’s a look at ESPN’s broadcaster pairings for the first week of the tournament:
Date | Time (ET) | Network | Match | Group | Site | Match # |
Fri 6/20 | 11:30 a.m. | ESPN | Italy vs. Costa Rica TV: Derek Rae, Kasey Keller Radio: JP Dellacamera, Tommy Smyth |
D | Recife | 24 |
2:30 p.m. | ESPN | Switzerland vs. France TV: Daniel Mann, Efan Ekoku Radio: Ross Dyer, Shep Messing |
E | Salvador | 25 | |
5:30 p.m. | ESPN | Honduras vs. Ecuador TV: Fernando Palomo, Alejandro Moreno Radio: Mark Donaldson, Janusz Michallik |
E | Curitiba | 26 | |
Sat 6/21 | 11:30 a.m. | ESPN | Argentina vs. Iran TV: Adrian Healey, Roberto Martinez Radio: Donaldson, Michallik |
F | Belo Horizonte | 27 |
2:30 p.m. | ESPN | Germany vs. Ghana TV: Jon Champion, Stewart Robson Radio: Dellacamera, Smyth |
G | Fortaleza | 29 | |
5:30 p.m. | ESPN | Nigeria vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina TV: Mann, Ekoku Radio: Dyer, Messing |
F | Cuiaba | 28 | |
Sun 6/22 | 11:30 a.m. | ABC | Belgium vs. Russia TV: Rae, Ekoku Radio: Donaldon, Paul Mariner |
H | Rio de Janeiro | 31 |
2:30 p.m. | ABC | South Korea vs. Algeria TV: Mann, Keller Radio: Dyer, Michallik |
H | Porto Alegre | 32 | |
5:30 p.m. | ESPN | United States vs. Portugal TV: Darke, Taylor Twellman Radio: Dellacamera, Smyth |
G | Manaus | 30 | |
Mon 6/23 | 11:30 a.m. | ESPN | Netherlands vs. Chile TV: Champion, Robson Radio: Dyer, Messing |
B | Sao Paulo | 36 |
11:30 a.m. | ESPN2 | Australia vs. Spain TV: Mann, Keller Radio: Dellacamera, Smyth |
B | Curitiba | 35 | |
3:30 p.m. | ESPN | Croatia vs. Mexico TV: Palomo, Moreno Radio: Donaldson, Michallik |
A | Recife | 34 | |
3:30 p.m. | ESPN2 | Cameroon vs. Brazil TV: Healey, Ekoku Radio: Dyer, Messing |
A | Brasilia | 33 | |
Tue 6/24 | 11:30 a.m. | ESPN | Italy vs. Uruguay TV: Champion, Robson Radio: Dellacamera, Smyth |
D | Natal | 39 |
11:30 a.m. | ESPN2 | Costa Rica vs. England TV: Darke, Steve McManaman Radio: Dyer, Michallik |
D | Belo Horizonte | 40 | |
3:30 p.m. | ESPN | Japan vs. Colombia TV: Mann, Twellman Radio: Donaldson, Mariner |
C | Cuiaba | 37 | |
3:30 p.m. | ESPN2 | Greece vs. Ivory Coast TV: Rae, Keller Radio: Dyer, Michallik |
C | Fortaleza | 38 | |
Wed 6/25 | 11:30 a.m. | ESPN | Nigeria vs. Argentina TV: Rae, Ekoku Radio: Dellacamera, Smyth |
F | Porto Alegre | 43 |
11:30 a.m. | ESPN2 | Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Iran TV: Mann, Craig Burley Radio: Dyer, Messing |
F | Salvador | 44 | |
3:30 p.m. | ESPN | Ecuador vs. France TV: Healey, Moreno Radio: Dyer, Messing |
E | Rio de Janeiro | 42 | |
3:30 p.m. | ESPN2 | Honduras vs. Switzerland TV: Palomo, Keller Radio: Donaldson, Michallik |
E | Manaus | 41 | |
Thu 6/26 | 11:30 a.m. | ESPN | United States vs. Germany TV: Darke, Twellman Radio: Dellacamera, Smyth |
G | Recife | 45 |
11:30 a.m. | ESPN2 | Portugal vs. Ghana TV: Champion, Robson Radio: Dyer, Messing |
G | Brasilia | 46 | |
3:30 p.m. | ESPN | South Korea vs. Belgium TV: Healey, Moreno Radio: Donaldson, Mariner |
H | Sao Paulo | 47 | |
3:30 p.m. | ESPN2 | Algeria vs. Russia TV: Rae, Ekoku Radio: Dyer, Messing |
H | Curitiba | 48 |
What do you think of these pairings? Have you enjoyed ESPN’s coverage of the World Cup to this point?
Share your thoughts below.
Can we bring back Dave O’Brien and Marcelo Balboa? Their insight was top notch.
So, when do we get Keller to replace Twellman? I cringe every time I hear Twellman say something.
Darke was pretty bad today. I get that he is going to root for England, and I have no problem with that. The guy’s only human. But going on and on about the yellow card not given was pure homerism, and his comments when the Uruguayan player who was nearly knocked unconscious in the 60th minute was borderline disgraceful. Would he have questioned a European player so quickly?
Then his apology… “I’m sorry if I implied…” You didn’t imply anything. You directly stated he was lying on the ground wasting time with 30 minutes to go in the game, even as Macca tried to say there was something wrong.
I like Ian, but this was not one for the memory books
Wonder why USA v. Portugal isn’t on ABC? It’d draw massive numbers.
+!
When do they release the refs for next week?
Just curious. Who will the U.S. get.
Looking forward to Darke’s next call of an amazing USA goal against Portugal. Perhaps throwing back some references to the last beatdown we gave them.
“OOooohhh lightning does strike twice!”
I’ve really enjoyed Champion and Robson so far this World Cup. Fantastic pairing (I believe they work together in the EPL as well).
Agreed, my favorite as well. Fantastic job on the Australia-Netherlands match, aside from failing to realize that Martins Indi got knocked out.