As is routine for every match, we have our regular Vancouver Whitecaps Guess the Starting XI and Final Score contest. Let’s see how good you are at getting into the manager’s head and predicting how the game will turn out. In addition, we will have monthly, fun, bonus prediction categories, such as yellow cards, substitutions, goal scorers, etc.

How Scoring is Determined

• Predictions will be ‘valid’ if posted HERE half-an-hour prior to the lineup being officially announced, which means 1.5 hours before kickoff.
• 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 typically 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 (LAFC) and Preview (LA Galaxy)

We are between LA matches right now. Some interesting tidbits for you. The Whitecaps are still the only team in MLS without a draw (sorry AmandaC and AshMan77). Meanwhile, their last three wins have been 2-1. Strangely, they are their only 2-1 scorelines this season. I thought for sure it was more!

Some good predictions this match. Congrats to Mykvechkin who had the only perfect lineup prediction. Plenty of 10/11 though as many people thought Rose would start instead of Ranko. The three optimists tecate, CDPrior, and elcapitano2 scored the five points for predicting the Caps win, while another first goal from open play meant that most people received the bonus three points. At the end of the day, tecate used their 10/11 lineup and Caps victory prediction to take first place this match, followed closely by CDPrior and Mykvechkin (almost completely on the correctly lineup).

Several people received a point for their score predictions, including you AshMan77! I got it this time! (and added it in to your score last week). AmandaC, you were right, an interesting match with a newbie ref. The difference was that they were a woman, so they didn’t have the ego of a man and were willing to change their calls (like on the initially missed pk).

Instead of Overall Standings, I decided to pop up Monthly Standings, as we have four matches in the books now. IslandLife has a five-point lead over chuckbiscuits, but they are closely followed by AshMan77 and tecate, after their performances in the LAFC prediction. Should be a fun end to the month and then season.

As I mentioned off the top we have another LA match. This time down in Los Angeles....well...Los Angeles adjacent! One of the few teams worse than the Caps this season is LA, so they could pick up another win. Of course they are on the road (although they always are) so who knows. I think I am confident in what I will predict for my lineup this weekend, but knowing MDS with the team somewhat cohesive and playing not bad, he will switch everything up!

Good luck everyone!