ESPN Classic’s First Major League Soccer “Instant Classic” Thursday at 7 p.m. ET

David Beckham and LA Galaxy at New York Red Bulls

Last Saturday’s regular-season Major League Soccer match which featured David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy at the New York Red Bulls, led by the resurgent attacking duo of Jose Altidore and Juan Pablo Angel, will be featured as an “Instant Classic” Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN Classic. The thrilling 5-4 New York victory will be ESPN’s first ever “Instant Classic” presentation of a Major League Soccer match. Highlights:

• Nine goals scored in regulation time, highlighted by LA Galaxy’s Honduran Carlos Pavon, New York’s 17-year-old U.S. striker Jose Altidore and Columbian Juan Pablo Angel – each scored two goals
• 11th time in MLS’s 11-year history that two teams have combined for at least nine goals
• Some 66,000 fans – most for a stand-alone MLS match in Giants Stadium
• David Beckham’s first 90-minute performance in a Galaxy uniform, setting up three goals
• Featured three lead changes and three ties

ESPN’s Major League Soccer “Instant Classic” presentation will conclude 30 minutes prior to ESPN2’s special and expanded edition of MLS Primetime Thursday at 9:30 p.m., live from The Home Depot Center in Carson Calif. ESPN Classic is available in 63 million homes.

Bob Ley to Host MLS Primetime Thursday – Chivas USA at LA Galaxy – on ESPN2 Thursday at 9:30 p.m.

Award-winning sports television host Bob Ley will host an expanded and special edition of ESPN’s MLS Primetime Thursday featuring intra-city rivals Chivas USA vs. LA Galaxy Thursday at 9:30 p.m. Ley will host the 30-minute pre-game show, halftime and post-game segments live from The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Dave O’Brien (play-by-play) and Eric Wynalda (analyst) will call the match, also available on ESPN360.com. NBA Finals and Saturday Night Football reporter Lisa Salters and MLS Primetime Thursday’s Allen Hopkins will serve as sideline reporters.

The telecast will feature LA Galaxy’s David Beckham and Landon Donovan and Chivas USA defender Jonathan Bornstein – all expected to play after representing their national teams Wednesday in Europe for FIFA international match dates. Beckham will represent England’s national team vs. Germany, while Donovan and Bornstein traveled with the U.S. team to face Sweden.

U.S. Women’s National Team Last World Cup Send-Off Series Match vs. Finland ESPN2 Saturday at 9:30 p.m.

The U.S. Women’s Soccer National Team, ranked No. 1 in the world by FIFA, will conclude its World Cup Send-Off Series matches vs. Finland live on ESPN2 Saturday at 9:30 p.m. from The Home Depot Center. The six-match series began in Cleveland in June and ends Saturday as the team prepares to represent the United States in the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Sept. 10-30, in China.

The U.S. team, led by midfielder Kristine Lilly, is unbeaten in regulation time in 46 matches under head coach Greg Ryan. The team also features one of the best forwards in women’s soccer, Abby Wambach – 77 goals in 95 international matches; and goalkeeper Briana Scurry who has won 127 of 163 career matches, 77 by shutouts.

Veteran soccer play-by-play commentator JP Dellacamera, U.S. defender Heather Mitts (sidelined by injury) and Ohio State women’s soccer coach Lori Walker will call the match. ESPN’s Los Angeles-based bureau reporter Jamie Motta will be sideline reporter.

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