Wayne Rooney's last game in charge of DC United could come this SUNDAY

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.

Will Bruin headed in Sebastian Driussi's pass in the 11th minute for his first goal at Q2 Stadium. Bruin has 12 goals in 18 matches against DC United, including the playoffs. Only Bradley Wright-Phillips (12) has more against DC since Bruin joined the league in 2011.

Driussi made it 2-0 in the 21st. He was left wide open at the penalty spot and sent in a calm finish for his 11th goal of the season.

Matt Hedges headed in a corner kick from Emiliano Rigoni in the 64th. It was Hedges' first goal for Austin.

'I spoke to the players before the game about not giving up cheap goals,' Rooney scathed, via the Washington Post. 'We've done that with all three goals, but the goals in the first half were very poor. The first half wasn't good enough. I could've taken 11 players off at halftime.'

Austin also beat D.C. United 3-2 in only other meeting despite trailing 2-0 entering the 80th minute. It is the only time a team won after trailing by multiple goals in the 79th minute since the start of the 2019 season.

DC has played more games that all the others vying for the final playoff spot in the East and even with a win over New York City FC in its final game at the weekend, it must rely on results elsewhere to avoid