The Thorns Prediction Game: Reading the PTFC Leaves – Semifinal Edition

Portland thumped the Reign, coming back from an early one goal deficit to win 3-1. Our winner on the week was tonysocref with 11 of a possible 23 points for calling the exact score and the Horan/Heath combination. All but one of our players got that goal/assist combo correct. The most rec’d bonus was a three-way tie – I am giving the nod to Constant Weeder for a mainly accurate prediction of Edi Parsons’ post-match antics.

The semifinal is next; a repeat matchup against Seattle at Providence Park. Surely both coaches will make some changes, but we will likely won’t know until the match starts. Remember that a 90-minute tie will go to overtime and possibly PKs – no draw is possible. No points are given for PK shootout goals, but you can list them in your wild prediction if you think it will come to that.

The winner will be back at Providence Park for the Final on the 22^nd. Should the Thorns lose on Saturday, this will be your last prediction for 2018. But hopefully they will win, and our game will have one final episode. Currently, Timber Dave stands to collect the winner’s prize and Robboss the middle-of-the-pack award.

INJURY REPORT: the Thorns are missing Meg Morris and Kat Reynolds (Hopp?) to SEI, and Hayley Raso to fractured vertebrae. Seattle will be missing Yael Averbuch and Kiersten Dallstream 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)

Fishlock (PK)

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

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

Make your fun prediction:

Michelle Betos gets a nice cheer when her name is announced. But Fishlock is roundly boo’ed, even by the stadium PA announcer.

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.