As disappointed DC United fans headed back to their cars, Metro, or to the nearest bar to cry into a beer Thursday night, a food truck rolled by blasting Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” The timing was terrible.

DC United lost to Columbus Crew 3-2 in penalty kicks at Audi Field. Which means the Black-and-Red’s 2018 season is over.

While it was a sad night for the sell-out crowd, some fans were proud of the team that pulled itself from dead last to the playoffs midway through the season.

“I mean, what a season,” said Jennifer Kosar as she clutched a copy of Wayne Rooney’s autobiography, hoping once again to get it signed by United’s star captain. Kosar and her family tried in July to get the book signed by Rooney after the inaugural game at Audi Field. “What a comeback. You can’t be mad. We weren’t supposed to be here. I couldn’t be more proud of these boys.”

Fans agree that Rooney’s presence and leadership, coupled with DC United’s new home in Buzzard Point played major roles in the team’s mid-season rise from the ashes. Katelyn Kosar said in July that the team would make the playoffs, when at the time they were still in last place in the Eastern Conference. She admitted Thursday night that even though she said those words, she didn’t fully believe them until they became reality.

“I just feel like this team has a lot going for them. And this momentum, just making it, it really shows how they crave to win. [Next year] I expect them to come out with the same intensity that they started at Audi Field with and continue building that momentum. And I hope that they don’t take this one game and bring it with them into next season,” she said.

Several fans did not think DC United was going to make it this far.

“I’ll be frank, I did not,” said Juan Bustamante. “But I’m so glad that they did. It doesn’t matter if the end of the [season] is a championship, think about what they accomplished up to right now. They were not slated to be this far, and they made it.”

Phil Blair lives a 10-minute walk from Audi Field, and watched it spring from the earth along the Anacostia River. He says, as long as Rooney is playing for DC United next season (and he is), and as long as the team stays at Audi Field (and they are), it will flourish from start to finish.

“It definitely will not be like, you know, a mid-year come-up,” he said. “It’s going to be from the start of the season just on top. And I’m looking forward to that.”

Fans wave flags as D.C. United prepares to take a corner kick in the first half.Esther Ciammachilli / WAMU

This story was originally published on WAMU.