Guess the Starting XI and Final Score (MLS Match #16 – Orlando City)

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.

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 Cup.
• 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 1.5 hours prior to kickoff (or half an hour prior to the lineup being officially announced).

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).

Match Review (Colorado Rapids) and Match Preview (Orlando City)

With just two matches left in the first half of the Vancouver Whitecaps 2018 season, the title of First Half Champion is still up in the air. dfree646 has a two (2) point lead over GreyHouseEffect, with Arjon just three (3) points back. While BlackPanther99 and hbamaral are a little ways further back, at 11 points down, they are certainly not out of it yet. Nor are the rest who round out the top 10.

A traditional 2-1 Whitecaps victory meant much higher scores this match. For contender Westsider13, reversing the score (2-1 Colorado) was a big blow to their First Half Standings title. That eight (8) points could have put them at 164 and only five (5) points behind the leader. Sorry to be Debby Downer!

Some of us lost points for not including Techera in their lineup. Not sure why we thought that it being an away match would outweigh a three goal match and player of the week honors. Like me, don’t you hate looking back at your lineup prediction and going “why did I do that!”. I think MacMhuirrich said it best “My gut gave me the right lineup, but I thought not, that’s too logical”.

There were plenty of lineup predictions that could have been possible. Take Island Life, who made their prediction, with the caveat “That said I would not be surprised to see Juarez, Blondell, and Nerwinski in”. Sure enough, all three started.

Maybe we just all need to be more optimistic like JStebeck “I’m feeling like a febreeze brother I feel so fresh right now”. They finished tops for the match with 19 points. They were the only one to predict at least 10 starters, which gave them the bonus point. AdamP 17 and The Squirrel tied for second with 17 points, while Adamhutchison31, AmandaC, and Caps72 round out the top five, as they each finished with 16 points.

The Vancouver Whitecaps host Orlando City this Saturday. Orlando has been hot and cold this season and have a record of 2-3-0 on the road. They played Wednesday evening in US Open Cup, but did not start a first string lineup, so expect a full force squad on Saturday. The Whitecaps SHOULD win this match, but they seem to lose the should wins far too often.

With the exception of Kendall Waston (international duty) and Stefan Marinovic (injury), the Caps have a strong squad. Coupled with the upcoming break, expect a strong-as-possible lineup from Vancouver. The question is, who is part of that lineup? Seems we all have different thoughts on that.

There is no “bonus” contest category in June, so we are just going with the traditional Starting XI, Winner, and Final Score predictions. Besides, good to focus on the First Half championship categories to close it out.

Another reminder, we have changed the deadline for submitting your predictions to 90 minutes BEFORE kick-off, so make sure to get those in. That means, for Saturday’s match, they need to be in before 2:30 pm.

P.S. I would love if someone would create a great little graphic that we could use for these articles!