WASHINGTON, D.C. u2015 Mathematically, the match may not have been a must-win, but in every other sense it was.
It was a must-win to keep Orlando City in the thick of a tight playoff race after the Lions dropped below the playoff cut line. It was crucial to ignite confidence in a team recovering from two of its worst losses this season. And, it was a test against a nearly-identical team statistically.
The Lions (7-10-13, 34 points) failed, demoralized 4-1 by D.C. United (8-9-13, 37 points) and ending the match a man down Saturday night at RFK Stadium.