The Thorns Prediction Game: MD 11 POR v BFC

I won’t kid you.

Last Sunday’s scoreless home draw wasn’t really a lot of fun to watch.

Two ignorant armies clashing by late afternoon, between the two of them producing more fouls (23) than shots (22), no goals from barely over a combined about 1.8xG (Portland’s roughly 1.2-something was marred by the atrocious “finishing” (the Thorns managed only 0.22 post-shot xG) and while Angel City did better (PSxG 0.98) than their sad 0.57 expected goals, their scoreline hung up the same zero).

There’s a reason that nobody pays to watch a couple of bums brawling in an alley.

Only one of our punters got the result, although with four more goals than the actual match scoreline, and Ken’s tale of stolen kits also took the “fun” points for what passed for a sweep of the dreary little outing which, combined with Utah and San Diego wins, dropped Portland to third on the table (20pts, 6-2-2, 15GF, 6GA, GD+9).

Here’s the league table before Matchday 11:

PlayerLatest RoundCumulative Score
PTFC Dave037
Ken535
Barcasiempre027
DanXP204
Daniel Stratton06
David Mellinger03

How all this works:
Before the upcoming Thorns match add a comment to this post. As your first line, put your predicted result, for example 1-3 Thorns.

In the body of your comment, start with the goals and assists, like so:
Wilson (Fleming)
Reyes (Free kick)
Moultrie (Unassisted)
Rodman (PK)

Next, name the first yellow card recipient: Sophia Wilson
Then a red card. (NOTE: no points awarded for correctly calling a red-card-free match, so take a guess.) Trinity Rodman for mimicking mooning the referee after getting an undeserved yellow.

Make your fun prediction,and give a “thumbs up” to anybody else’s prediction that tickles your fancy: “Ryan gets the start against her former club. She gets through 70 minutes without fouling her former teammates until she can’t take it anymore. She pushes over Perry, gives Muller a wedgie, gives Arnold a noogie, then flips off the Riveters and runs out of Providence Park, never to be seen again. The ref issues a red card, which she later contests, and loses.” (h/t to ABell4)

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
· A player with a red card: 1 point
· 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 Castellanos scores from a Moultrie assist and that is exactly what happens.

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 = dead ball, not in run of play. FK includes olimpicos from corners. No entry means unassisted.

So. This Wednesday – another short-rest week which includes a trip to Kansas City this coming Sunday – comes Bay FC, currently lying 10th (11pts (off only 8 matches), 3-2-3, 8GF (third-worst in the league), 11GA, -3GD), after five days rest from a 1-1 home draw which saw the visiting Boston Legacy – playing with ten for almost fifty minutes – pull the road point from a 64th minute penalty conversion.

To give credit where it’s due, BFC held the Royals to a scoreless home draw the Sunday before last and beat San Diego in their house the match before that…but back in April the Bays were whomped by Gotham 3-nil and Washington 2-nil. Before that BFC traded lickings; stomping The Damned Courage in Cary 1-3 after getting yeeted in San Jose 1-3 by the Weeping Angels.

Which BFC will turn up? Could be peaches, could be…

This will be the first meeting between the clubs this season, with the reverse fixture not until October.

Oh, and I couldn’t resist this, from Carlisle-sensei; this was posted by San Jose’s PAO after beating Washington 2-1:

Well played, Wave’. Well played…

John Lawes

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