Four days after recording their statistically biggest win ever, Philadelphia Union suffered their worst loss ever with a 4-1 defeat Wednesday to the Colorado Rapids.

Colorado’s Omar Cummings scored twice in the first 15 minutes, and two second half goals sealed the game and the Union’s playoff hopes. Cummings found just enough room in the defense to toe-poke in the first goal seven minutes in, and then he was inexplicably left unmarked on a corner kick to score the second after 15 minutes.

The Union looked sluggish from the outset, perhaps worn down from the high altitude in Colorado and having to travel there for a road game after just playing on Saturday. Union manager Peter Nowak used all three of his subs at halftime, yanking midfielders Fred, Stefani Miglioranzi and Justin Mapp and replacing them with Andrew Jacobson, Jack McInerney, and Kyle Nakazawa.

In perhaps the lone bright spot for the Union, McInerney scored an 89th minute goal long after the outcome was decided to collapse the margin just enough so that the loss merely tied a Union record for worst loss, rather than break it. (The Union lost 3-0 to Real Salt Lake on May 8.)

The loss essentially puts an end to the Union’s already slim playoff hopes.

Here are some key points to take away from the game.

• Two stats summarize the game: Colorado outshot the Union 17-6, while the Union outfouled the Rapids 16 to 3.

You wouldn’t even need to look at the scoreboard. Those stats say it all. The Union looked a step behind all game. At the end, it began to look like an amateur league blowout in which the discouraged losing team stops getting back on defense, and the goals start piling up.

• Dismantle the Rapids goals, and you’ll see clear mental breakdowns on defense that led to them.

The blame for the first goal starts with Sheanon Williams, takes a swing over to Amobi Okugo before undeservedly tarnishing the center backs in the eyes of most spectators. Macoumba Kandji had the ball on the right of the goal near the end line, while Cummings was in the center of the box, a bit to the left, marked by Williams. Okugo looked like he was going to cover the top end of the box nearer the ball, but he fell back to the left when Jamie Smith floated into the box behind him. That left Cummings space to cut into, and Williams failed to warn Danny Califf of the cutter. Califf noticed Cummings too late, so Cummings found space to collect Kandji’s pass and slot it home.

On the second goal, Stefani Miglioranzi lost his mark Jeff Larentowicz on the corner kick. Okugo had been marking Cummings but stepped up to get Larentowicz. That left Cummings open behind him. Okugo couldn’t reach the header because he’d moved himself out of position, and Cummings scored.

On the third goal, Williams failed to seal off Colorado’s Wells Thompson on a Pablo Mastroeni free kick. When Knighton stopped the shot, the rebound went to an untouched Thompson, who slotted it home while Williams walked toward the goal and watched. Williams knew Thompson was his mark — if you watch the replay, you’ll see Williams follow Thompson from one side of the box to the other before the shot — and just forgot about him while watching the free kick.

• Sheanon Williams has to learn how to play defense.

We’ve raved about his attacking prowess and long throw-ins, but Williams was seriously exposed in the Colorado game as the project many viewed him to be. He was consistently out of position all night and can draw primary blame for at least two goals. There would have been another in the 53rd minute had Cummings not shot wide on a breakaway taken through the space where Williams should have been. Williams’s runs down the right side make things interesting on the attack, but it’s clear why some viewed him as a project at right back. His background is as a forward and midfielder, with a relatively recent conversion to right back. He has loads of potential there, with athletic ability, speed, a great throw-in and aggressive attacking. But any time you see a defender walking while his mark is scoring a goal, a tongue-lashing is in order. He’s a right back, and defense is part of the job.

• The Union’s 4-2-2-2 is an abomination that needs to die in a fire.

It’s clear the Union keep playing this formation largely because they have too many holding midfielders and not enough wide or attacking players, so hopefully the team brass does what it needs to do in order to change the personnel makeup next season to resolve this problem. Mastroeni and and Larentowicz dominated the Union’s center midfielders all game, but unlike them, they’re able to push up through the midfield and move forth the attack as box-to-box players. Migs and Okugo are defensive midfielders and nothing more, and the fact that they couldn’t help the attack—and that Fred continues to do absolutely nothing when put out on the wing of this formation—put the Union on their heels all night.

That said, two attackers the Union do have didn’t see action. Shea Salinas didn’t make the subs bench for the second straight game, despite not being on the injury report. Why? Don’t know. Probably still recovering from the leg fracture. Roger was on the bench but never got off it, suddenly in the doghouse and going nowhere fast.

• The Union are out of the playoffs.

The Union still have a mathematical chance to make the playoffs, but it’s just about nonexistent. They’re sitting on 27 points with four games left, while the Seattle Sounders now occupy the 8th playoff spot, with 39 points. The only way the Union could get in is if Seattle loses all their remaining games and Philadelphia wins all theirs—AND the Union somehow obtain a better goal differential. Right now, Seattle has a 14-goal advantage on differential over the Union, so … yeah, the playoffs aren’t happening. We’re not crying over it—they’re an expansion team built with youth, so we knew what to expect—but there it is.

Player Ratings

GK Brad Knighton: 6 5

You can’t give up four goals and get a good rating, but it’s hard to blame Knighton for any of the goals. He had a couple of fine saves, particularly one late after the Union started giving away breakaway counterattacks with alarming regularity. If anything, maybe he could have gotten a hand on the first goal, but even that was a nice shot from Cummings. (Late add: He might’ve caught Mastroeni’s free kick too, but it was a very powerful shot on which a catch would’ve been less routine than Williams’ missed mark.)

LB Jordan Harvey: 5

Harvey stood out no more or less than any other Union player in terms of responsibility for Wednesday’s debacle. Some weak tackles, occasionally out of position, didn’t do much absolutely great or horrible. Called for the foul that set up Mastroeni’s free kick and the third goal.

CB Michael Orozco Fiscal: 5

Did an excellent job containing Kandji on a one-on-one breakaway late. Was marking Kandji when he assisted on the first goal and could have been pressing him more closely to close down the passing lane. Ordinary game, but not a bad one. Hard to stand out positively as a defender when your team is giving up four goals.

CB Danny Califf: 5

Califf had a rough night with the refs. Got called for a questionable yellow card that should have been a foul and nothing else. Later got called for a foul against Drew Moor on a set piece upfield when it was very clear that Moor hit him first. On defense, he was left out to dry by Williams on the first goal. On quick glance, he looks like the guy to blame, but he’s not because he was forced to clean up someone else’s mess. That’s basically the story of Califf’s season. He’s the captain, and he’s the janitor.

RB Sheanon Williams: 3

See above. Very poor game defensively for Williams, and he didn’t do anything on offense to offset it.

LM Justin Mapp: 5

Mapp looked slow and tired before coming off at halftime. He kept Colorado on their toes with some dribbling attacks, but none really threatened in the end.

CM Stefani Miglioranzi: 4

Miglioranzi gave away some easy passes, lost a mark on a corner kick that helped cause the second goal, and was taken off at half time. Not a great showing.

CM Amobi Okugo: 4

Okugo looked over his head all game. Failed to maintain possession well, gave away the ball a few times under pressure from Larentowicz and Mastroeni and made a poor choice that led to the second goal.

RM Fred: 3

Did nothing. Absolutely nothing. He should never start another game on the outside in this 4-2-2-2 abomination.

ST Alejandro Moreno: 4

Looked slow. Never got into the flow of the game, thanks to the absence of creative links in the midfield.

ST Sebastien Le Toux: 5

You know it’s bad when even Le Toux has a subpar game, but even then, that may be because there was nothing coming from midfield. Threatened to score late in the second half but was defended well and fell down in the box without a penalty call.

Substitutes

Jack McInerney: 6

Put himself in the right place to pick up a deflection and slotted it home nicely. Once again showed he has very good finishing ability. Needs more playing time.

Andrew Jacobson: 5

One of the few Union players who didn’t look like he was playing at half speed. Active throughout, picked up a card, but didn’t really distinguish himself for the most part.

Kyle Nakazawa: 4

Didn’t do much. Still hasn’t shown he can offer much in the run of play, but he is young and has time.

(Photo: Philadelphia Union)