Eighty Six Forever, Guess the Starting XI, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Guess the Starting XI – Match 24 at Portland Timbers

Welcome back, everyone.

So it begins. The Vancouver Whitecaps are heading out on a seven match road-trip starting Saturday night and they will do so with a sense of urgency after dropping points to San Jose at home last weekend. The good news for Vancouver is that the Portland Timbers, who they face this weekend, are currently in complete disarray, having just fired Giovanni Savarese after an embarrassing 5-0 defeat on the road in Houston. Perhaps the Whitecaps should be warry of the new coach bump, but at the same time, Portland simply has not been good enough this season to pose a real threat to many. They are the worst team in terms of chance creation in the Western Conference, and given their middling defensive play, they also have the weakest expected goal difference in the West by a sizable margin.

For Vancouver, although all players other than Luis Martins were listed as available for selection last weekend, as it turns out, fitness was still a factor. Hopefully, Vanni Sartini will feel empowered to start Sam Adekugbe and Ryan Gauld for this upcoming match, even if they are unable to go the full ninety. Getting off to a good start will be crucial for Vancouver and we experienced this importance last weekend. Failing to convert on some good attacking play in the opening stages of the match ultimately sunk Vancouver against the Quakes, so they can’t afford the same kind of disappointment in winnable upcoming road matches such as this one.

In terms of the lineup specifically, the Whitecaps have once again indicated that only Luis Martins is out. The real question is how many minutes Gauld, Ahmed, Laryea and Adekugbe will see.

Ok, on to rules and standings:

  • Predictions will be ‘valid’ if posted HERE (or more accurately, whichever is the correct match thread) before the lineup is officially announced, usually about an hour before kickoff.
  • You receive 1 point for every player you correctly guess to be in the Starting XI. You receive 4 bonus points for correctly predicting all 11 starters.
  • You get 5 points for correctly guessing Win/Lose/Draw, this doubles to 10 if you also predict the right score-line along with the result.
  • All this means, if you correctly predict the Starting XI, Final Score, and Winner, you can earn 25 points!
  • At the end of each half, the contestant’s lowest two scores of that period will be deducted from the cumulative standings

17 thoughts on “Guess the Starting XI – Match 24 at Portland Timbers”

  2. 1-1
    Takaoka
    Laborda Veselinovic Blackmon
    Cubas
    Laryea Schopf Ahmed Gauld
    White Cordova

    I wanted to predict a draw, but considering everyone else is doing that, why not go 2-1 Whitecaps

    Reply

  6. Caps 2-0
    Takaoka
    Laborda Ranko Blackmon
    Cubas
    Laryea Vite Schopf Gauld
    Cordova White

    If we didn’t have the midweek match I think Sam and Ahmed start but need to have some fresh legs for that one. Of course saying that probably means they start today 🙂

    Reply

  7. Takaoka
    Laryea Blackmon Ranko Raposo
    Schopf Cubas Ahmed
    Gauld Vite
    White

    ‘Caps win 3-1
    Go ‘Caps, and good luck!

    Reply

  10. 2 – 0 W

    Takoaka
    Adekugbe, ranko, blackmon
    Cubas
    Ahmed, guald, shopf, lareya
    White, Becher

    I really wish coulda made the trip down. Hoping to be at the 2024 games down there.

    Reply

  11. 1-1
    Takaoka
    Laborda Veselinovic Blackmon
    Cubas
    Laryea Schopf Ahmed Gauld
    White Cordova

    We can only hope the latest Portland changes will be to our advantage! Too many possibilities in the mid field that could play for 45ish minutes! No time to mull over today’s guesses. And if anyone has a solution to sneakily watching/listening to the match at a wedding reception, I’m all ears!!

    (I can’t believe how terrible MLS Season Pass is for giving spoilers. UGH!)

    Reply

  16. Takaoka
    Laborda Ranko Blackmon
    Cubas
    Laryea Gauld Vite Adekugbe
    Córdova White

    Portland 1-2 Vancouver

    Reply

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