Heading into the final match of the regular season in 3rd place with playoff positioning still to be determined, Chicago faced Portland in a game that many assumed would be a semifinals preview. However like most things in NWSL being unpredictable, the Red Stars would end up in finishing 4th in the standings after a loss against the Thorns and a win by Orlando against shield winners North Carolina.
The match, a 3-1 loss, began almost the same way it began when both teams faced off the first time this season - back in March during the preseason invitational hosted by Portland.