I suppose it started off well enough... Nick DeLeon made a great run from inside his own half to the 18-yard box - a run that was totally uncharacteristic of anybody wearing Black-and-Red in 2013 - and was taken down for D.C. United's first penalty kick of the season. When Dwayne De Rosario converted it in the 19th minute, United looked like they might get that elusive win, taking a 1-0 lead at RFK Stadium over fellow strugglers Toronto FC.
But, as we all know, it wasn't to last. Ten minutes later, Brandon McDonald continued his death spiral, allowing the much smaller Robert Earnshaw to out jump him to put in the equalizer. The game winner would be even more gutting, as a 41st-minute free kick from the since-traded-to-United Luis Silva managed to find its way to Daniel Woolard's head and into Bill Hamid's net for yet another 2013 D.C. own goal.
Of course, Silva isn't the only player to have left one of these teams: two starters for United back in June have left, with Brandon McDonald being traded to Real Salt Lake and Alain Rochat departing on a transfer to his native Switzerland.
We thought at the time that that night could represent rock bottom in this cursed season for D.C.. We were wrong - that would come later in Chicago - but with United having escaped freefall thanks to midseason acquisitions, los Capitalinos head into tomorrow looking for a better result against the still-struggling Reds.