The Thorns Prediction Game: Reading the PTFC Leaves – Matchday 23

It was squeaky-bum time at Providence Park as the Thorns pulled out a 2-1 victory over hapless Sky Blue. Our players were mostly predicting a heftier scoreline with Horan scoring. As it was, all three goals in this match were unassisted. Seven “c’s” took the honors calling the result and the Sinclair PK. The most rec’d prediction was a three-way tie, but David K Anderson’s line about retained eyedrop caps made me chuckle and got the nod.

On a very quick turnaround, the Thorns fly cross-country to open Audi Field for the Washington Spirit. The DC team has lost nine in a row, most recently on Wednesday at home versus Utah. The weather forecast for kickoff is surprisingly benign for August: 75 degrees with medium humidity. The Spirit have a long injury list: Banini, Huster, Matthews, Weimer, and Wys are out; Ordega is questionable with a bruised foot. The Thorns are missing only Reynolds and Morris to SEI.

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:

Lussi (Klingenberg)

AMC (Free kick)

Heath (Unassisted)

Hatch (PK)

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

Then reds, if any. (NOTE: no points awarded for correctly calling a red-card-free match, so take a guess.) Lavelle gets sent off for pulling Lussi down by the ponytail.

Make your fun prediction:

Jim Gabarra shows up to see Audi Field and the fans boo lustily when his picture goes up on the video board.

Lastly, please recommend one of the other players’ fun prediction.

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.