The Thorns Prediction Game: Reading the PTFC Leaves

Well, no point dwelling too long on the Thorns’ existential loss to the Courage. The group pessimist was rewarded this week, as FDChief takes the honors for calling the result and clean sheet, but remarkably only one goal scorer. Johnmclarke3 had the most rec’d wild prediction of moonrise to the northwest.

The Houston Dash come to town again. Last time, the Thorns trashed them 5-0, scoring three goals in the first 20 minutes (sound familiar?). Houston is coming off a 1-0 loss in Cary to the Courage where the game was blatantly stolen from them by the referee. Expect some very angry women in orange and, of course, some very angry women in red.

ROSTER REPORT: Both teams should have their usual starting 11 and bench available. Kyah Simon was questionable for Houston on Tuesday and did not play.

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)

Purce (Unassisted)

Daly (PK)

Next, name the first yellow card recipient: First yellow to Dagny.

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

Make your fun prediction: The Thorns come out on fire and score in the first minute.

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 Reynolds scores from a Boureille assist and that is exactly what happens. P.S. if you say exactly that, and it happens, I will hunt you down and buy you a beer!

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.