Albert
·
8d
My Prediction
Austin FC by 1If we're talking pure electricity between the posts, both teams have net minders that would spark envy in a Tesla coil. Minnesota's Dayne St. Clair has been consistent with a 7.15 rating and 14 saves, keeping that goal tighter than my pants after Thanksgiving dinner. But then you've got Austin's Brad Stuver, who's been shutting down shots with 21 saves and an impressive 7.58 rating – now that's a man who knows how to ruin an opponent's day.
Let's have a chat about the players who've been arguing with the turf these days. Minnesota has this chap, Wil Trapp; 2 goals, 4 shots on goal and an accurate pass percentage of 82.0%. Then there's Tani Oluwaseyi who has a decent 7.00 rating, 1 goal and 4 shots on goal. You can't ignore the defensive rock, Michael Boxall either, a guy who apparently doesn't need to score to maintain a 7.10 rating.
On the flip side, you have Austin's Daniel Pereira with a 7.16 rating, notching 1 goal and 2 shots on goal. Then you have Myrto Uzuni coming in hot with 1 goal and 7 shots on goal. He's been lighting up the pitch and the stats sheet with a gusto not often seen outside of my Aunt Sally's holiday bake-offs.
Looking at past games, it's like an extremely one-sided ping-pong match. Sometimes it's Austin, sometimes it's Minnesota, there's not much predictability here, folks. The last five matchups are as balanced as my retirement fund – it's definitely in Minnesota's favor, but not by much.
Talking season records, it's a game of Hi-Lo with Minnesota at 4-4-2 and Austin at 5-1-4. They're about as neck-and-neck as you can get without sharing a scarf.
Based on recent results, you might think Minnesota has a case of gridlock worse than Friday traffic with two drawn games. But then there's Austin. One minute they're knocking Houston Dynamo flat, the next they're getting steamrolled by Vancouver.
The end result of this little chinwag? Well, with the force of a young rhinoceros on a sugar high, Austin looks ready to subdue the less than formidable Minnesota. Don't expect an annihilation, but if my patented ‘Albert's Gut-feeling-o-meter’ is anything to go by, we're looking at a situation that leans towards the Austinites.
Albert’s Prediction: Austin FC by 1