Poor D.C. United. US Open Cup success aside, it’s been about as frustrating a season as a team could have. The first few months were filled with growing pains, trying to find a way to mold the side around new Argentinian signing Marcelo Gallardo. It began to pay off in early summer, with the team finally finding form and playing with the easy-on-the-eyes attacking style in such a marked contrast to some of the league’s less attractive approaches. The end of the summer brought Louis Crayton in goal, and an unexpected string of defensive resolution from the usually charitable United defense. But they never really made a big dent in the MLS standings, and now their CONCACAF Champions League campaign is as good as over before it could even really take off.

To be fair, calling last night’s D.C. squad a “makeshift lineup” would be generous. This was a team with arguably only two or three field players in their best positions (Moreno, Vide, and Doe, and the last of those three doesn’t exactly strike fear in an opponent, even on his best day), and a kid most recently on a USL2 squad making his debut against one of Mexico’s most storied clubs. No, Cruz Azul didn’t send their best team, but they’re still Cruz Azul and there was still enough quality to come into RFK and grab a 1-0 win.