Last Sunday’s 5-1 beatdown in Utah was the worst Thorns loss since 2024, and, unsurprisingly, none of our punters were willing to be quite that pessimistic.
PTFC Dave got the result and everyone got the Tordin assist/Wilson goal bonus. It says something that only Dave was even willing to venture a “fun” anecdote about the game, though. Ouch.
So here’s where we stand after Matchday 18:
| Player | Latest Round | Cumulative Score |
| PTFC Dave | 8 | 13 |
| Ken | 3 | 8 |
| Barcasiempre | 3 | 4 |
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 marks the Thorns return to Boston for the first time since September 2017 (the Breakers folded in January of 2018, so obviously this is not a renewal of that old matchup).
Boston and Denver have been something of a success story this season. The Legacy (silly name…legacy of what? The Breakers?) are lying 12th of 16 (5-5-8, 20pts, 19GF, 24 GA) with Denver right above them in 11th. It’s worth noting that both clubs have better records than four other NWSL clubs including old league standbys Houston and Chicago.
Lately Boston’s form has been difficult to predict. The Legacy has gone 3-2-2 over the past seven games, but the pattern…the wins include over the woeful Chicago Red Stars and Orlando, and the losses to Washington and Kansas City. But…having lost 1-nil to the Current in May Boston returned the disfavor, reversing the scoreline in July!
The Legacy’s big scorer is Malian attacker Aissata Traore’ with 5 goals and an assist. Traore’ is having her best season since 2022-23 when she scored 5 for D1F side Guingamp.
Right behind her is Brazilian youngster Amanda Gutierres (4G, 2A). Samantha Smith (a Massachusetts native who played in Iceland after college) adds 3 goals, and a couple more with 2 each.
As you surely know, the Thorns are slumping; 6th on the table, 8-4-6, 28pts, 28GF, 25GA.
From sitting top of table after Matchday 11, Portland has gone 1-2-4…but since early May the full results line is only 2-3-5, 14GF, 19GA, so the “big picture” looks worse than the most recent snapshot. The Thorns’ road form is dire: 3-1-6 overall, and the only road wins have been Washington on Matchday 1 when the Spirit were a hot mess and two cans; Angel City, and Chicago
Needless to say Portland needs to win this match to keep playoff hopes – and possibly some people’s jobs – alive for this season.
- The Thorns Prediction Game: MD 19 BOS v POR - August 7, 2026
- Thorns FC: Whipped Like a Dog to Kennel - August 4, 2026
- The Thorns Prediction Game: MD 18 UTA v POR - July 31, 2026
Legacy 1-3 Thorns
Wilson (Tordin) – always a popular choice!
Moultrie (PK)
Tordin (Moultrie) – if Turner starts then change it to Turner (Moultrie) [but not if Turner starts on the bench]
Traoré (Gutierres)
The Legacy score first, with Gutierres nipping the ball off Moultrie’s feet to pass to Traoré for the goal. Afterwards Gutierres says to Moultrie, “See you in Brazil next summer.” After Moultrie gets her goal and assist and the Thorns win, she responds, “We certainly will.”