Matchday 1: Thorns host Chicago Red Stars
A new, real(ish) season is starting and so the Thorns Prediction Game returns.
First up is the Chicago Red Stars visiting Providence Park on Sunday at 4:00pm. It’s expected to be a pretty toasty day and 4:00 is peak heat, so you can expect a bit of suffering to be on display. Hopefully also some goal scoring. As much as the Thorns struggled to score goals in the Challenge Cup, Chicago was doubly snake-bitten. They miss Sam Kerr, a lot. The Thorns played CRS a few weeks ago in Chicago and won 1-0 compliments of a Morgan Weaver goal.
How this works:
Add a comment to this post. In the comment title put your predicted result, for example 3-1 Thorns.
In the body of your comment, start with the goals and assists, like so:
Smith (Klingenberg)
Horan (Free kick)
Weaver (Unassisted)
Ertz (PK)
Next, name the first yellow card recipient: First yellow to Naeher.
Then reds, if any. (NOTE: no points awarded for correctly calling a red-card-free match, so take a guess.) Davidson gets a straight red for an intentional handball just outside the box
Make your fun prediction, and give a “thumbs up” to anybody else’s prediction that tickles your fancy: It’s not quite hot enough for official water breaks but right at the 30 minute mark a Red Star goes down with a “serious cramp”. A Thorn does the same in the 75th.
Scoring:
· Correct score: 5 points
· Correct result (draw/win/loss): 3 points
· Each clean sheet: 2 points
· Each goal-scorer: 1 point
· Each FK/PK/assist/lack of assist: 1 point
· Goal/assist bonus: 1 point
· Player with the first yellow card of the match: 1 point
· Each player with a red card: 1 point (Cannot earn points for predicting 0 red cards)
· Most liked/most outrageously accurate prediction: 2 points
Some ground rules and explanations/clarifications (the fine print):
Comments must be posted before kickoff, but you can edit or amend an earlier prediction right up to the starting whistle.
Keep your scoreline predictions realistic. No crazy scores just to pad out your odds of getting goals and assists.
The goal/assist bonus is an additional point if you predict the correct scorer and assistant on the same goal, for example, you say Hubly scores from a Boureille assist and that is exactly what happens. P.S. if you say exactly that, and it happens, I will hunt you down and buy you a beer!
Be clear whether you think a goal will be unassisted, assisted, or from a PK/FK. Unassisted = no assist, run of play; Assisted = player who got the assist; PK/FK = not in run of play. For the purposes of this thread, Penalty Kick and Free Kick are the same thing. No entry means unassisted.
The game thread will usually be posted 48 hours before each match.
Have fun, tell your friends, let me know if you have any questions or if I screw up your score.
- The Thorns Prediction Game - November 14, 2021
- The Thorns Prediction Game - November 12, 2021
- The Thorns Prediction Game - October 28, 2021
Thorns 2-0 Red Stars
Sinclair (PK)
Horan (Kuikka)
YC: Colaprico
RC: Doniak
Following Grant Little’s streetwear style post on STF, video of Thorns players arriving at Providence Park is shown on the big screen during warmups. Not to be outshone, the Red Stars challenge the Thorns to a style slam when the teams meet at SeatGeek in September. In true NWSL fashion, details TBD.
Richard,
Thanks for setting this up again. I always enjoy it. A couple of questions:
how do I give a thumbs-up on WordPress, and I don’t see a comment title field.
Thank you for playing! There is a thumbs up counter which you should see on other’s comments. As for titles, we’ll have to write the score in the first line of text just as you have.
Thank you.
Nuts- I missed this one but am looking forward to the Tacoma predictions (build a 🔥). Was surprised not to see Kuikka on the field on Sunday, but like the idea that Parsons will change up the roster to best match each opponent. How do we feel about Parsons building up the team then abandoning it?
Likewise! I’m in for another season – looking forward to seeing the Reign on top of the bonfire this Sunday!