Let's stroll down onto the field, shall we? Digging into our match-up, Portland Thorns FC and Racing Louisville are ready to clash, each boasting a line-up that screams, "Hey, don't you dare overlook me, pal!"
Thorns' fortified the goal with the dynamic duo of Arnold and Bixby, with Arnold having a higher rating of 7.75 and Bixby not far behind at 6.85. On the other hand, Louisville has Lund standing like Gibraltar at the posts with a respectably decent rating of 6.27.
As we push further up the pitch, the Thorns house artillery like Caiya Hanks and Deyna Castellanos, both impressing recently with a goal a piece and solid accurate passing percentage of 73.2% and 67.2% respectively. When we peek at the Louisville's camp, it's players like Flint and Fischer on our radar with impressive numbers, laudable even without those elusive goals under their belts for this season.
But let's take a trip down memory lane for some historical context, shall we? The past match-ups between these teams saw an interesting back and forth, with auditor and debtor shifting roles more often than my wife changing TV channels. If we had to draw blood, I'd say it looks relatively even, with each team having its share of victories.
Skating through the regular season, Portland Thorns FC and Racing Louisville managed records that make my old high school report card look good: Portland stands at a balanced 2-2-2 while Louisville's scorecard reads a slightly tilted 1-1-3.
Watching the teams dance in recent matches, Thorns seem to have found their groove with a striking 4-1 victory recently. Racing Louisville, on the other hand, has been stumbling a bit, suffering 4-1 and 2-0 defeats.
Taking all this into account, and ignoring my dear Aunt Mabel's advice of always bet on the underdog, I'd say Portland Thorns FC is looking more likely to come up tops here. And by how much, you ask? Well, who am I to make that prediction?... Oh wait, that's exactly what I'm being paid for.
Albert’s Prediction: Portland Thorns FC by 2
