The Thorns Prediction Game: Reading the PTFC Leaves – Matchday 8

The good news is that Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic bagged her first goal in a Thorns kit. This was wonderful for our prognosticators, as almost everybody had her opening her account in Houston. Unfortunately, everybody had several other Thorns scoring as well, which did not happen. A road point is fine, but a road point at Houston is weak beer.

A perfect guess was worth 17 points. Robboss led the pack with four for calling AMC’s goal with the proper Sinclair assist and the Van Wyck yellow card. It is a wonder that hers was the only card in this match. David K Anderson joined Timber Dave and Melinae with three points by virtue of his most-rec’d prediction of Kealia Ohai’s crushed fantasy escape from hell.

Next up is Orlando on Saturday for the Lifetime game of the Week at 12:30 here in Portland. Unlike their first beneficent visit in April, this edition of the Pride is full strength with all their Brazilians back. I spoke to Emily Menges at the watch party; she expects to be playing Saturday and seemed very pleased at the prospect. Unrelated to Saturday, I also noticed that AD Franch is off her crutches, walking normally with only an elastic bandage on her knee.

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:

AMC (Klingenberg)

Sinclair (Free kick)

Horan (Unassisted)

Morgan (PK)

Next, name the first yellow card recipient: First yellow to Sonnett

Then reds, if any. (NOTE: no points awarded for correctly calling a red-card-free match, so take a guess.) Monica gets a red for tripping Sinclair on the edge of the box.

And lastly, make your fun prediction:

Marta gets the first yellow card for diving in the history of the NWSL.

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 recommended/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 Onumonu scores from an Horan 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 = not in run of play. For the purposes of this thread, Penalty Kick and Free Kick are the same thing. No entry means unassisted.

Have fun, tell your friends, let me know if you have any questions or if I screw up your score.