ESPN and ESPN 2 broadcast highlights – 16-22 April 2021

Viewers on DStv and GOtv can look forward to even greater sporting variety, with some thrilling action coming their way on ESPN and ESPN 2 from Friday 16 to Thursday 22 April 2021.

DStv and GOtv is your home of the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network.

ESPN

ESPN this week sees the return of Major League Soccer, with a trio of matches live from the morning of Saturday 17 April. First up is LAFC hosting Austin FC (00:00 CAT LIVE on ESPN), San Jose visiting the Houston Dynamo (02:05 CAT LIVEon ESPN) and Seattle Sounders at home to Minnesota United (03:55 CAT LIVE on ESPN).

LAFC’s Mexican international Carlos Vela has promised that he will fight for the MVP award again this season, having been plagued by injuries through 2019-20. “When you play good, you do good things, the team is also doing good things. Everything is going in the same direction. So my individual goal is to make the MVP. For the group, the goal is to win the championship. Two years ago, we won the Supporters’ Shield. So we are doing the right things. But we are still missing something,” said Vela.

The MLS action continues on the evening of Sunday 18 April, as David Beckham’s Inter Miami begin just their second season with a clash at home to LA Galaxy (21:00 CAT LIVE on ESPN), followed by Philadelphia Union visiting Columbus Crew (23:55 CAT LIVE on ESPN).

Reigning MLS champions Crew can compete for honours again this season, and for the next few years, according to coach Caleb Porter. “I do think this team has the makings of a really special, consistently good and great team competing for trophies year in and year out for the next three or four years. I really think that this group can do it,” said the Columbus coach.

The evening of Monday 19 April sees entertainment for fans of both the National Basketball Association and the National Football League with ‘The Jump’ (21:00 CAT LIVE on ESPN) and ‘NFL Live’ (22:00 CAT LIVE on ESPN), while Thursday 22 April closes out the week with live action from the Dutch Eredivisie, as Ajax continue their run to the title with a home clash against FC Utrecht (19:50 CAT LIVE on ESPN).

ESPN 2

The first live action on ESPN 2 arrives on the morning of Friday 16 April, as the Storm host the Roosters (11:55 CAT LIVEon ESPN 2) in NRL action from ‘Down Under’, while the following day sees the Eels visit the Raiders (11:35 CAT LIVE on ESPN 2).

The Raiders will hope veteran Ryan James continues to be an inspiring figure, having recently scored his first try for the franchise upon a comeback from successive knee reconstructions. “It’s a beautiful story in rugby league,” said commentator Andre Voss. “The hardships of this man the last couple of years. Two knee reconstructions and on his return, having not played a game last year, he scores with his new club. Well done Ryan James.”

The evening of Saturday 17 April sees the return of Major League Baseball to ESPN 2, with back-to-back games (19:00 and 22:00 CAT LIVE on ESPN 2), while the early morning of Monday 19 April sees the Chicago Braves play host to the Atlanta Braves (01:00 CAT LIVE on ESPN 2).

One of the players set to light up this MLB season is Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, who is set to be a major force as both a pitcher and a batter. “Everything we thought he could be,” was how team manager Joe Maddon described Ohtani pitching and hitting in the same game for the first time in his major league career. “That’s the complete baseball player… throws 100, hits it well over 100, hits it well over 400 feet. I mean that’s what we’ve been talking about. He just needed the opportunity to do it. I think he felt liberated, he felt free. He was out there playing baseball.”

Visit www.dstv.com and www.gotvafrica.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream the action on the DStv App.

ESPN selected broadcast highlights

Saturday 17 April

00:00 CAT: MLS, LAFC v Austin FC – LIVE on ESPN

02:05 CAT: MLS, Houston Dynamo v San Jose – LIVE on ESPN

03:55 CAT: MLS, Seattle Sounders v Minnesota United – LIVE on ESPN

Sunday 18 April

21:00 CAT: MLS, Inter Miami v LA Galaxy – LIVE on ESPN

23:55 CAT: MLS,  Columbus Crew v Philadelphia Union – LIVE on ESPN

Monday 19 April

21:00 CAT: The Jump – LIVE on ESPN

22:00 CAT: NFL Live – LIVE on ESPN

Thursday 22 April

19:50 CAT: Eredivisie, Ajax v Utrecht – LIVE on ESPN

ESPN 2 selected broadcast highlights

Friday 16 April

11:55 CAT: NRL, Storm v Roosters – LIVE on ESPN 2

Saturday 17 April

11:35 CAT: Raiders v Eels – LIVE on ESPN 2

19:00 CAT: MLB, Teams TBD – LIVE on ESPN 2

22:00 CAT: MLB, Teams TBD – LIVE on ESPN 2

Monday 18 April

01:00 CAT: MLB, Cubs v Braves – LIVE on ESPN 2