Going into the upcoming international break, the Chicago Red Stars have done the unlikely, all but clinching the final playoff spot to compete for the 2018 NWSL Championship. The team has two games left in the regular season, and simply needs to grab one result between the two of them (interestingly, their regular season finale is against the only other team currently still in the post-season run, the Utah Royals).
At this point, it seems not completely imprudent to imagine the Red Stars coaching staff imagining how they’re going to manage this squad through the rest of the season with one eye cautiously looking towards a semifinal run.