Rose City Forecast 12: Portland Timbers vs LA Galaxy

Welcome back to your Portland Timbers prediction thread after another PTFC win! Last week, the Timbers went to Denver and earned only their second-ever away win over the Colorado Rapids. And what’s more, it extended the club’s record winning streak to six games.

However, like most games at five thousand feet, the result didn’t come easy. The Timbers got on the board first through a Samuel Armenteros wonder-goal (his second goal of the week award in a row), but conceded just two minutes later when Julio Cascante became the second Timbers center back to score an own goal in 2018. Armenteros scored again six minutes later to give the Timbers the lead, and they added to it after half time thanks to the maestro, Diego Valeri (and a second assist from Sebastian Blanco). PTFC started getting heavy legs in the last minutes of the match, though they weathered the storm until Colorado was awarded a PK that became the last kick of the game. Yannick Boli slotted home to give a final score of 3-2.

No pick of the week (or any scores, for that matter) as I’m having some spreadsheet issues. Check back next week for scores from both the Colorado and upcoming LA Galaxy matches.

Regarding that upcoming LA Galaxy game, this Saturday marks the second time the Timbers have played LA this season, as they lost 2-1 in Giovanni Savarese’s first MLS game. Both clubs have evolved a bit since then; LA signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and while the Timbers haven’t made new signings, they appear to have figured out their new coach. With that six game winning streak, PTFC is the hottest team in MLS. This match comes after players called to the World Cup have departed for their national teams, and so the Galaxy will be missing some of their most visible players, notably Gio and Jonathan dos Santos. But they will also be without top scorer Ola Kamara. In addition to their absences, the Galaxy played midweek, so they have to visit Portland on short rest. In other words, everything’s lining up for the Timbers to add to their winning streak, if they can take care of business.

Total Cards O/U: 5.5

The Scoring Format:

• 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, but you may predict up to 3 players with a red.)
• Over/under on total cards: 1 point
• Most outrageous(ly accurate) prediction: 2 points

Some ground rules and explanations/clarifications (the fine print):

You may amend your prediction at any point up to kick off to account for game day 18 announcements. I recommend at least getting an initial prediction sooner, just in case you forget to come back in that hour or two before the game.

Keep your scoreline predictions realistic. Basically, if you’re predicting lots of goals all the time to just earn points on goals and assists and ignoring the score, I feel that goes against the spirit of this thread. This hasn’t been at all a problem in the last two years, so let’s keep it that way!

The goal/assist bonus is an additional point if you correctly get the correct scorer and assistant on the same goal. (e.g., if Nagbe scores, assisted by Valeri, and you predicted that exact combination you get a total of three points - 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 bonus. However, if you predicted Nagbe scores assisted by Adi and Adi scores assisted by Valeri, you would get two points from the Nagbe/Valeri prediction - 1 goal, 1 assist)

Please 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 = directly from a free kick. For the purposes of this thread, a PK counts as a FK, and a FK as a PK. If you just leave the assist section blank, I will assume you’re declining to make an assist prediction.

Even though a player can be awarded a secondary assist by OPTA, I will award a maximum of one assist point per goal. But that point can come from either the primary or secondary assist in the box score. However, please keep your predictions to one assist per goal.

For the over/under on cards, a second yellow leading to a red counts as two cards, not three.

You may predict more than one red card if you’re expecting a chippy match, but only up to three total.

For the most outrageous(ly accurate) prediction, I will be trying to toe a line between completely absurd and mundane in my choices. As I see it, the goal here is to add even more fun without going too over-the-top ridiculous. So, in my mind, the best predictions will be something that could conceivably happen, but don’t happen often, like amusing coaching spats or goals that bounce off the crossbar, then off the keeper’s back, and then in. Things like that.

If you’re looking for where I set the over/under on total cards, check the end of the preview paragraph after the standings.

Format:

In the comment title, post your predicted score with the winners, eg: 4-2 Timbers

In the body of your comment, start with the goals and assists, like so:

Nagbe (Valeri)

Valeri (Free kick)

Adi (PK)

Blanco (Unassisted)

Beckham (Free kick)

Donovan (Beckham)

Next, choose your first yellow card, and that means picking only one person.

First yellow to Nigel De Jong

Then reds, if any. (NOTE: no points awarded for correctly calling a red-card-free match, so take a guess.)

Nigel De Jong gets a red card for stomping Blanco.

Clearly note whether you’re predicting over or under on total cards. Don’t leave me to try and figure it out!

And lastly, make your fun prediction.

Nigel de Jong tries to stomp Nagbe’s ankle again, but this time, Nagbe avoids the tackle. Being angry Nagbe for the first time in three years, he kicks the ball straight into NDJ’s groin. Camera pans to a trademark Chara smile.

As always, any questions about anything?