DC United's dim playoff hopes were all but crushed in the first half of its defeat to Austin Wednesday, while head coach Wayne Rooney's stint in charge took a step closer to its end.
Rooney's side suffered a 3-0 loss on the road, leaving them staring down yet another long offseason.
It is still mathematically alive in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt but with Wednesday night's 3-0 disaster and more games played than all the other teams in the chase, even Rooney admitted it will take 'almost a miracle' to extend its season.