here's predicts for this weekend (3/16 & 3/17). home team is listed first.
San Diego
Predict: SD Surf 3 vs Strikers 2. Actuals: SD Surf 2 vs Strikers 2. This one was game to watch this weekend. For the Surf, MMG (reportedly injury) and GE (at the US Soccer Central Camp) were not rostered. This is too bad. The Surf are a very good, but not #1 in the country, team without these two players, and these two players average combined more than two goals per game.
Having said that, per the game report, SD Surf scored first, with the Strikers tying it up right before half. The Strikers put another one late in the 2nd half but the Surf were awarded a PK in the 79th minute to tie it as the final score. (will just say that the Surf receiving 3 PKs in two away games right in a row - u13 and u14 - is interesting). SR for the Strikers had both goals.
SD Surf and Strikers play again on May 18th. Bring the popcorn. (btw, the algo, as previously written in the initial predict called this match at 2-2 but modified that call due to Strikers not playing as well at home. spooky.)
Predict: SDSC 0 vs. Nomads 2. Actuals: SDSC 0 vs Nomads 1.
Predict: Arsenal 2 vs Albion 1. Actuals: Arsenal 0 vs Albion 4. If Arsenal was a professional team, it would be time for a players-only meeting. They continued their slide this weekend against Albion. To be fair, except for the 3/2 result against LAGSD, Albion has had consistent improvement defensively over time since their last match against Arsenal (0-3 Arsenal), and good on them for that.
Los Angeles
Predict: Pats 2 vs Santa Barbara SC 1. Actuals: Pats 4 vs Santa Barbara SC 2.
The Pats are playing better with marked and consistent improvement after their Nov 17th 0-7 loss to the LA Galaxy, and are working - per second hand reports - to get players off the injured list.
Predict: LA Galaxy 3 vs Real SoCal 0. Actuals: LA Galaxy 3 vs Real SoCal 0. Thank you to RememberMe for the result
Predict: TFA 1 vs LAFC 2. Actuals: TFA 2 vs LAFC 1. Pause... Spit take... What?
Had written the following earlier this week in the initial predict: "TFA lost three players to red cards against LAG. the algo has it at 1-2 LAFC, but would think that there's no way TFA loses three starters and then plays competitively against LAFC. This one is anybody's guess."
Good on TFA. They had two 06s playing up to help fill the gaps left by three 05 players receiving violent conduct red cards against LAG last weekend, and pulled this one out. After a mostly less than optimal 2019 ytd so far, this is an outstanding win for TFA.
Per the game report, it was a scrappy match with four yellows - two for each side - and 0-0 at halftime. TFA was first to score with goal shortly after the second half started and put another one in late in the match. Per the game report, LAFC got their goal right at the end.
LAFC was missing their leading scorer who was has now been out for two weeks. Hopefully, he is OK. Looking forward to the next match-up on April 18th. (TFA folks, the ussda website list your location as Salem, OR...) Another match where it's clear that LAFC has taken a step down offensively from last year.
As stated in other posts, seems like LAFC is just missing an offensive piece or two from last year. (eg, TFA's leading scorer - VM - played for LAFC last year and was one of their top scorers last season).
And it could also that LAFC had some significant size/speed advantages last year with early birthdays and early developers and other teams are catching up this year.
Of note, TFA's coach - WD (about whom there was some alleged controversy following the TFA-LAG dust-up for both u13 and, particularly u14, ) - was not listed by the game report as being present at either the u13 or u14 matches. However, the game report mentioned that TFA Director of Coaching Jorge Salcedo was at the match (and thank you to Zacrob for point it out more publicly) and, second hand reports have him coaching the boys in WD's stead. Good on Salcedo for being able to put aside his "recent stuff" and rally the boys in a tough match-up. (not great, however, for having the "recent stuff" but that's something for the LA Times to editorialize on)
Also of note, this was the first LAFC game report that showed former 05 and 04 SD Surf coach - Benoit David - as attending an LAFC match in a formal coaching capacity. Will be very interesting to see LAFC's plan for David and any players he manages to bring up from SD.
Predict: Legends 0 vs LA Galaxy 3. Actuals: Legends 1 vs LA Galaxy 1. Earlier this week, wrote "The Legends match well size-wise with LAG..." Should have stopped there.
LAG was missing their big striker who is also their leading scorer, and are a different team when he doesn't play. (note to US Soccer, how was it that JO did not get called up for the West Camp?). LAG also had a key defensive player sitting out due to a violent conduct red card at the TFA match last weekend.
LAG scored early but Legends kept LAG under control after that and got one in the second half for the tie.
Thanks, again, to RememberMe for the following comments:
"Really good second half from Legends, LAG had the chance to put away the game in the first half with a lot of chances to score but came out short also LA top scorer did not play."