Strap in for this fiery showdown between San Diego Wave FC and Portland Thorns FC. If we glance at the goalkeepers, Portland is donning Mackenzie Arnold with a tidy rating of 6.62 and a decent 12 saves to boast of. Now, San Diego isn't far behind there with Kailen Sheridan exhibiting a 6.57 rating and Hillary Beall sharing equal glory with a 6.55 rating; both ladies proudly stand with their tally of 5 saves each.
Juggling the spotlight are some notable players. Portland boasts a roster brimming with noted talent. Hina Sugita sits at a handsome 7.43 rating with a goal to her name while Morgan Weaver and Samantha Coffey follow closely behind with ratings of 7.35 and 7.22 respectively. Sophia Smith with her 1 goal and 7 shots on goal ain't a statistic to ignore either, I tell you.
Now, over on the West Coast, San Diego parades a formidable lineup too. Delphine Cascarino is waving high with a 7.38 rating and a goal. Kristen McNabb and Kennedy Wesley are not far behind, each with a goal of their own and ratings of 7.15 and 7.00 respectively.
Past matchups between these two have been quite the spectacle with Portland taking the last meeting, but not without their share of setbacks as San Diego stole one win and made one match a draw.
The regular season paints a turbulent picture as well. Portland, with a 8-4-9 record, does have a slight edge over San Diego Wave FC who tread water with a 4-7-10.
Pondering upon the recent results, we see Portland hasn't had the best run of form, pocketing a single draw out of their last five, while San Diego managed a win and a draw, despite their setbacks. It's like choosing between greasy pizza and stale breadsticks, not exactly a feast.
Alright then, having pulled the numbers apart like my ex-wife did our shared assets, it's prediction time. It's gonna be tighter than a new pair of shoes, but the odds seem to favor San Diego.
Albert’s Prediction: San Diego Wave FC by 1