Tough match last weekend.
Despite putting together what looked to me to be a solid outing for much of the match and managing to work the match to 2-1 by the hour, the Thorns were bitten by a slow start, a Jayden Perry sending-off, and a late Sam Kerr equalizer, to end up in a 2-2 draw with the visiting then-league-leading (and now second on the table) Gotham FC.
Our punters had kind of a slow day, too. Dave and Ken both tabbed Kerr with the Gotham goal, but other than that no one got the result, or any of the other points on offer. Dave did nick the “fun” points with a sweet parenting tale involving new babies.
So here’s where we stand after Matchday 17:
| Player | Latest Round | Cumulative Score |
| PTFC Dave | 3 | 5 |
| Ken | 1 | 5 |
| Barcasiempre | 0 | 1 |
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.
First yellow means just that: the player – the first player and only the first player – who receives a yellow. Not the first player on each team. If more than one player listed as “first yellow” all the punter’s predictions for that category will be voided.
This coming Sunday the Thorns pay a visit to the Wasatch Front.
The last time they saw this opponent, the Utah Royals were league-leaders (7-2-2, 16GF, 8GA) and Portland was in second (7-2-3, 23pts, 18GF, 12GA).
Now?
Utah is third (9-3-5, 34pts, 26GF, 18GA). After the draw here the Sisterwives dropped two in a row (including, shockingly, at Chicago as well as Gotham) and another to Washington in Salt Lake. Their two wins were Orlando at home and a 1-4 road whipping of The Damned in Cary. No draws.
We’re fifth, but level on points with Kansas City (8-4-5, 28pts, 28GF, 20GA), so goal difference is the decider there. As you probably know, the Thorns have gone 1-1-2 since the Royals match, thumping Louisville, but then losing in Seattle and Denver before the Gotham draw here.
The two clubs are fairly comparable on paper; both in the second tier defensively and getting their points from scoring. Chloe Lacasse’ is Utah’s gun (6G, 4A), along with Mina Tanaka (5G, 4A). Tatum Milazzo has 3 goals. Four more players have two each.
The Thorns have an odd history with this iteration of Utah. Overall 1-2-2; but while there’s usuallt “Portland” and “Portland on the road” since the Royals were revived after the 2023 season our lone win has come in Utah, a 0-1 result early last season.
Including this year we’ve drawn twice (the other was there, in 2024). Both matches here in the previous two seasons were 1-2 wins for the visitors.
Last meeting: May 30, 2026, Providence Park, Portland, 2-2 draw.
- The Thorns Prediction Game: MD 18 UTA v POR - July 31, 2026
- Thorns FC: Batting order - July 28, 2026
- The Thorns Prediction Game: MD 17 – GOT v POR - July 23, 2026
