Guess the Starting XI and Final Score (MLS Match #27 -San Jose Earthquakes)

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 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 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 (San Jose Earthquakes) and Preview (San Jose Earthquakes)

Down 2-0 and looking anemic in the first half, it looked like our predictions were going to be useless. However, a nine-minute span in the second half and many of us look like geniuses.

Let’s start with the lineups. It was a good match all around. The lowest lineup score was 8, while five participants scored a perfect lineup, and the corresponding three bonus points. We also had 18 of 21 participants predict a Vancouver Whitecaps victory. Of those 18, SIX! correctly predicted a 3-2 scoreline. Like myself, you all knew that the Caps would go down two early and fight back for the victory right...

A late replacement of Henry with Maund for CascadiaCrunchFC proved instrumental, as it gave them a perfect lineup, and the bonus three points. That earned them a share of the August title with AtlantisB; both with 81 points. AtlantisB (I hate writing in third person) earned that August title tie, thanks to being the San Jose Match high, with chuckbiscuits, at 22 points. Congrats to chuckbiscuits for being tops this week. Finally, AtlantisB and chuckbiscuits were the only ones who correctly predicted Reyna receiving the first yellow card. When he received it, I thought it might be my only points from this match!

Because of the good match predictions, everyone used this one in their Second Half Standings. The Squirrel maintained their nine-point lead over Arjon and chuckbiscuits. AtlantisB and Isabelt round out the top five, with both having 92 points.

We only have four matches in September, so I am going to combine September and October months for a ‘final’ monthly tournament. For the final one, let’s keep the bonus category easy. Predict the first Whitecaps goal scorer. We are going to have one caveat, you can predict NO GOAL SCORER, but you actually have to write that, not leave it blank. If you correctly predict the first Whitecaps goal scorer in a match (or no Caps goal scorer) you will receive a bonus three points for your September/October Score. Note, that means it will not count towards the Second Half Standings.

I feel this is super long already, so I am going to keep the preview short. Return match. No new injuries or suspensions to report. The one thing I will note is that San Jose did play a home match on Wednesday night, against FC Dallas, in which they won 4-3. That might mean some rotation and/or tired legs.

Good luck!