We’re closing on the month-long-BroSo-World-Cup break, so the NWSL fixtures are flying by fast. After the scoreless home draw last weekend the Thorns hung a two-nil collar on the sad act that was Bay FC this past Wednesday through decent defending and a couple of opportunistic goals from (notional) defenders (M.A. Vignola with a big cannon shot, then – finally – a piece of direct play that worked, Arnold through a midfield flick to a running Wilson who generously drew all the BFC defenders before sliding over to late-match sub Mallie McKenzie for the dagger).
Our punters were hesitant about roster issues (including the lack of Olivia Moultrie), so while both Barcasiempre and Ken got the result (and Ken the sheet) nobody guessed the score or any of the scorers. Dave and Ken split the “fun” points.
Here’s the league table before Matchday 12:
| Player | Latest Round | Cumulative Score |
| PTFC Dave | 1 | 38 |
| Ken | 6 | 41 |
| Barcasiempre | 3 | 30 |
| DanXP2 | 0 | 4 |
| Daniel Stratton | 0 | 6 |
| David Mellinger | 0 | 3 |
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.
About this past week and coming week/weekend:
First, it looks increasingly like there will not be a match report for the ACFC draw here, and that’s due to a combination of faults.
I failed to record the broadcast, assuming – foolishly, as it turns out – that the NWSL+ site would show the full replay as it has up to this point. So that’s on me.
It hasn’t, and shows no signs of doing so. That’s on fucking NWSL+.
Second, I DO have the BFC match on DVR, so assuming that NWSL+ is still fucking with us I can review that tape. It’s not ideal (trying to get tactical details off a live recording (i.e. no screenshots, scanning back and forth using the DVR remote) on a small television screen) but I can do it. So unless POR-ACFC turns up by tomorrow? I’m going to move on the POR-BFC.
Third, the prediction game apertura ends after the Utah match here 5/30. The table is tight at the top, so Ken and PTFC Dave will have to choose wisely over the next two matches!
Fourth…KCC away this weekend.
The Current have been all over the shop so far this season. After opening with a home win over Utah, KC ran off three losses, including the one here in March. Then (in succession) the Current beat Gotham in KC, got thumped in D.C. 4-nil, ran off three wins, and last Wednesday dropped all the points when ACFC nipped them 2-1 in Los Angeles.
As befits their one-step-forward-one-step-back season KCC is a slightly-above-mid-table struggler (6th of 16, 15pts, 5-0-5, 14GF, 16GA, -2GD).
After the midweek win Portland is back on top of table (23pts, 7-2-2, 17GF, 9GA, +8GD), so it’ll be up to the Thorns to do business in Kansas like a league-leading club is supposed to.
Last meeting: March 28, 2026, Providence Park, Portland, OR, 2-nil win.
- The Thorns Prediction Game: MD 12: KCC v POR - May 22, 2026
- The Thorns Prediction Game: MD 11 POR v BFC - May 18, 2026
- The Thorns Prediction Game: MD 10 – POR v ACFC - May 15, 2026
