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Welcome to another season of our Vancouver Whitecaps contest “Guess the Starting XI and Final Score”. As is tradition, thanks to former regular Spencer for starting this several years ago. It has grown into a great contest and I am appreciative of him for the original idea. Like last season, we will break the contest up into the three ‘seasons’: first half, second half, and non-MLS. We will continue to have fun monthly ‘bonus’ prediction categories, with some being based on whatever it topical at the time. Last season we had things like “Robbo post-match quotes”, “yellow cards”, “first goal scorer”, and several others. However, to start the season, we will keep March simple. With that out of the way, let’s remind you all how the scoring is done.
P.S. I would love if someone would create a great little graphic that we could use for these articles!
Contest Details
- Contest article will be posted 2-3 days prior to game day.
- We will keep track of first half, second half, and monthly winners so that late joiners will have something to play for.
- I will have a separate ‘contest’ for Voyageurs and Champions League.
- As the MLS season is 34 matches, each half of the season will be based on 17 matches, with your worst two match predictions being dropped. This will allow everyone a few misses or bad guesses throughout the season.
- Predictions will be ‘valid’ if posted HERE prior to the lineup being officially announced (1 hour before kickoff).
How Scoring is Determined
- You receive 1 point for every player you correctly guess to be in the Starting XI. Receive 1 bonus point for correctly predicting 10 starters. Receive 3 bonus points for correctly predicting 11 starters.
- You get 5 points for correctly guessing Win/Lose/Draw.
- You receive 1 point for correctly guessing each team’s final score. Receive 1 bonus point for correctly guessing both teams final score (for a total of 3).
That means, if you correctly predict the Starting XI, Final Score, and Winner, you can earn 22 points!
After each match, I will tally the scores and update the standings, which will be posted with the following match’s prediction article. I will post three sets of standings. First, the results from the previous match. Second, the monthly standings. Third, the first/second half standings (with your worst two match predictions removed).
MLS Match #9 (Real Salt Lake)
| Ranking | User | Overall Score | Lineup | Bonus | Winner | Score | Sub |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | User | Overall Score | Lineup | Bonus | Winner | Score | Sub |
| 1 | Jph003 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 2 | tecate | 15 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 2 | Adamhutchison31 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | AtlantisB | 14 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Jitsuo | 14 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | Arjon | 13 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | Cashen | 13 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | edmondk | 13 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | hbamaral | 13 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | IrfanD | 13 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | Island Life | 13 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | JStebeck | 13 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | olikchivas | 13 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | progers50 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | rtomsheck | 13 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | BlackPanther99 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | AmandaC | 12 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | MarcoD77 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | robbosg1 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | AdamP 17 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | chuckbiscuits | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | GreyHouseEffect | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | MacMhuirrich | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | The Squirrel | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | Caps72 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | CascadiaCrunchFC | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | ZTJ9901 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | CWilkins | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Westsider13 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Final April Standings
| Previous Rank | Current Ranking | Change in | User | Overall Score | vs RSL | at SKC | vs LAFC | at RSL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Previous Rank | Current Ranking | Change in | User | Overall Score | vs RSL | at SKC | vs LAFC | at RSL |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | Arjon | 55 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 17 |
| 5 | 1 | 4 | Jitsuo | 55 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 17 |
| 1 | 3 | -2 | GreyHouseEffect | 54 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | AmandaC | 54 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 16 |
| 6 | 5 | 1 | tecate | 53 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 19 |
| 7 | 6 | 1 | edmondk | 50 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 9 |
| 9 | 7 | 2 | Cashen | 49 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 9 |
| 2 | 8 | -6 | Westsider13 | 48 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 15 |
| 10 | 8 | 2 | Island Life | 48 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 11 |
| 11 | 8 | 3 | AtlantisB | 48 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 10 |
| 11 | 11 | 0 | robbosg1 | 46 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 10 |
| 15 | 12 | 3 | hbamaral | 45 | 13 | 16 | 8 | 8 |
| 15 | 12 | 3 | olikchivas | 45 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 10 |
| 7 | 14 | -7 | CascadiaCrunchFC | 44 | 7 | 17 | 9 | 11 |
| 18 | 15 | 3 | progers50 | 43 | 13 | 14 | 7 | 9 |
| 20 | 16 | 4 | rtomsheck | 42 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 9 |
| 13 | 17 | -4 | AdamP 17 | 41 | 8 | 17 | 7 | 9 |
| 13 | 17 | -4 | chuckbiscuits | 41 | 8 | 16 | 9 | 8 |
| 20 | 17 | 3 | BlackPanther99 | 41 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 9 |
| 22 | 17 | 5 | IrfanD | 41 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 8 |
| 23 | 17 | 6 | Adamhutchison31 | 41 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 10 |
| 26 | 17 | 9 | Jph003 | 41 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 9 |
| 15 | 23 | -8 | The Squirrel | 40 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 11 |
| 26 | 24 | 2 | JStebeck | 39 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| 18 | 25 | -7 | CWilkins | 35 | 5 | 13 | 9 | 8 |
| 23 | 26 | -3 | ZTJ9901 | 33 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 29 | 27 | 2 | Caps72 | 28 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 0 |
| 23 | 28 | -5 | dfree646 | 27 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 6 |
| 28 | 29 | -1 | Slowkid | 25 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 8 |
| 30 | 30 | 0 | MarcoD77 | 22 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| - | 31 | NA | MacMhuirrich | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | 32 | -1 | Alan Osborne | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 32 | 33 | -1 | MarcusEarth | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
First Half Standings (Excluding Worst 2 Matches)
| Previous Rank | Current Ranking | Change in Rank | User | Overall Score | Match #1 | Match #2 | Match #3 | Match #4 | Match #5 | Match #6 | Match #7 | Match #8 | Match #9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Previous Rank | Current Ranking | Change in Rank | User | Overall Score | Match #1 | Match #2 | Match #3 | Match #4 | Match #5 | Match #6 | Match #7 | Match #8 | Match #9 |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | GreyHouseEffect | 106 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 8 |
| 5 | 2 | 3 | Arjon | 99 | 22 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 13 |
| 7 | 2 | 5 | AtlantisB | 99 | 20 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 14 |
| 5 | 4 | 1 | BlackPanther99 | 98 | 20 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 |
| 7 | 4 | 3 | Island Life | 98 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 13 |
| 2 | 6 | -4 | chuckbiscuits | 97 | 20 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 8 | 9 | 16 | 8 |
| 9 | 6 | 3 | edmondk | 97 | 22 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
| 4 | 8 | -4 | CascadiaCrunchFC | 96 | 22 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 7 |
| 3 | 8 | -5 | dfree646 | 96 | 19 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 0 |
| 11 | 10 | 1 | hbamaral | 94 | 20 | 17 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 16 | 13 |
| 12 | 11 | 1 | olikchivas | 93 | 20 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 13 |
| 13 | 12 | 1 | robbosg1 | 92 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 13 |
| 13 | 12 | 1 | rtomsheck | 92 | 19 | 19 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 |
| 10 | 14 | -4 | Westsider13 | 91 | 15 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 4 |
| 17 | 15 | 2 | AmandaC | 90 | 16 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 12 |
| 20 | 16 | 4 | Cashen | 89 | 19 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
| 13 | 17 | -4 | CWilkins | 88 | 19 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 5 |
| 21 | 18 | 3 | progers50 | 87 | 0 | 19 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 13 |
| 13 | 18 | -5 | The Squirrel | 87 | 20 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 8 |
| 17 | 18 | -1 | ZTJ99901 | 87 | 22 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 6 |
| 19 | 21 | -2 | AdamP 17 | 86 | 19 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 17 | 8 |
| 23 | 21 | 2 | Jitsuo | 86 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 14 |
| 22 | 21 | 1 | lrfanD | 86 | 19 | 15 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 13 |
| 24 | 24 | 0 | tecate | 85 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 8 | 11 | 15 |
| 24 | 25 | -1 | Adamhutchison31 | 84 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 17 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 14 |
| 26 | 26 | 0 | Jph003 | 83 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 15 |
| 27 | 27 | 0 | JStebeck | 79 | 0 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 13 |
| 28 | 28 | 0 | Slowkid | 62 | 20 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| 30 | 29 | 1 | MarcoD77 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 29 | 30 | -1 | Caps72 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 9 | 12 | 7 |
| 31 | 31 | 0 | Marcus Earth | 29 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | 32 | 0 | Tdahl | 25 | 17 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | 33 | 0 | TrevFresh | 23 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | 34 | 0 | jacinto | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| - | 35 | NA | MacMhuirrich | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 35 | 36 | -1 | Alan Osborne | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | 36 | -1 | matthew fjermestad | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Match in Review (Sporting Kansas City) and Preview (Real Salt Lake)
Well, it was an uneventful scoring match! Kansas City won 6-0, so those that predicted a SKC win received the five points, while those that predicted the Vancouver Whitecaps getting zero goals also received a ‘score’ point. The two red cards meant that Franklin was the first substitute; something no one predicted. The news that Jake Nerwinski remained in Vancouver messed up some people’s lineup, but those that knew he was absent went with Franklin as the obvious replacement. As a result, no one really lost out there.
Congrats to AdamP17, CascadiaCrunchFC, and Slowkid for leading the weekly standings with 17 points. They finished one point ahead of chuckbiscuits and hbamaral, thanks to predicting zero goals from the Whitecaps. Otherwise, all five predicted 10/11 in the Starting XI, along with a SKC victory.
GreyHouseEffect remains on top for the Monthly Standings, while AdamP17’s good week vaulted them up 11 places in the monthly standings. GreyHouseEffect also remains in the lead for the First Half Standings, with a healthy lead of 5 points over chuckbiscuits. CascadiaCrunchFC moved up four spots with their match-high score, while hbamaral vaulted up 5 spots (along with robbosg1) thanks to their strong match score.
The Caps now come home to face RSL. While RSL is still not performing well this season, the Caps are back to their struggles scoring. Vancouver should have defeated RSL a few weeks ago, but were unsuccessful. Has anything changed? Will the home field make the difference?
It is possible, though doubtful, that Kamara will return. That means another match of either Blondell or Hurtado. No Reyna or Juarez for this one. Some of you might be seeing that as a positive. The SKC match was awful, but it is hard to judge performances in that type of match. Therefore, it is anyone’s guess as to who gets rotated in this one.
Good luck!
Known Out (Updated as information becomes known)
Injury: Jordan Mutch, Kei Kamara
Suspension: Yordy Reyna (red card), Efrain Juarez (red card)
International Duty: None