(Times / COLIN KERRIGAN)

Here's all that you need to know from the Union's 2-1 loss to Columbus Wednesday night at PPL Park:

Carlos Valdes, who left the match after tweaking his left hamstring, ended the Union's 200-minute scoring drought. More importantly, the Union have the uncanny ability to permit goals in the closing minutes of each half. (Keep reading for a ridiculous stat below.)

Valdes scored in the 29th and the Crew added tallies in the 41st and 94th, which prompted Union manager John Hackworth to declare his club's chances at making the postseason "over."

“I’m the eternal optimist, but I will say I’m not stupid, either,” Hackworth said. “Unless we go on some amazing run, tonight was a game we had to get three points in ... so I don’t think it’s a possibility anymore. I think we should stop talking about it. 

“We should concentrate on playing good soccer the rest of the way, see how many points we get and the position we put ourselves in and building toward the future.”

Valdes offered this nugget of hope.

“You have to keep working, you know?" the captain said. "We have some chances to be in the playoff. We know that is going to be hard, but we have to keep working." (By the way, Hackworth said Valdes' status is up in the air for Saturday at New England. Something to follow.)

And finally, Danny Cruz -- while shaking his head, seated at his locker -- had this to say.

“No excuses,” he said. “I feel awful for the fans and awful for the organization.”

Not the kind of words you'd like to hear from the guys in the locker room. But can you blame them?

Allow me to put into perspective the Union's inability to close out a half: The Union have allowed 30 goals this season, 17 of which have been in the final 15 minutes of a half. Even worse, 9 of them have come inside the final five minutes of a half ... and two of those were tonight.

Not exactly playoff-caliber soccer, is it?