The Thorns Prediction Game: Reading the PTFC Leaves — SEASON 7 BEGINS!

We’re back for the seventh season of NWSL and the third season of our little game. The Thorns have a six-game road trip while the stadium gets a little polishing. First up are the Orlando Pride on Sunday at 2:00pm.

We know almost nothing about Orlando’s form as they didn’t really have a preseason. They have a new coach but mostly the same roster as last year. Alex Morgan has been in excellent form for the USWNT, but if history is any guide her club form will not match. Marta has been frustrated playing for Brazil — who knows what that will translate to Sunday?

INJURY REPORT: The Thorns are missing Emily Menges to open the season (again) and probably Midge Purce. Hayley Raso is not available due to visa issues.

The Pride have no reported injuries. Sydney Leroux is notably absent to maternity.

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)

Morgan (PK)

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

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

Make your fun prediction:

Marta makes an obscene gesture toward the referee when she is sent off. The folks at Yahoo! Sports have no idea what to do, so they show the replay ten times.

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

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.