The Loons returned to training in the rain Tuesday after their 5-1 loss at Philadelphia on Saturday that ended what hopes remained for a playoff spot.
"We had a good chat this morning about the game on the weekend," coach Adrian Heath said.
He was none too pleased about an opportunity squandered after his Minnesota United team trailed 4-0 by halftime. After the game, Heath said it was hard to explain how poorly his team played in that first half and called the game, in which the Union clinched a playoff spot, "like men against boys."
After training on Tuesday, Heath said, "The first half was unacceptable, something I thought them days were behind us. I was extremely disappointed in a lot of individuals and collectives. I thought there were maybe one or two from the day who could hold their up afterward and say, `Well, don't think I could have given much more.' But I think I'm struggling after one or two."
Heath sounded mystified about the performance, particularly "when you consider what was on the line for us" with a team that could have kept its playoff aspirations alive.
"The way the results went for us on the weekend, we'd still be in with a shout and we could have put some pressure on some teams. But as I said before the game, we have to help ourselves first and that was really disappointing. It gives me a lot of food for thought moving forward about one or two individuals."
Heath said he'll have to wait until later in the week before Saturday's matinee against Colorado to know whether midfielder Romario Ibarra will play. He missed Saturday's game because of a hamstring injury sustained in a victory over New York City FC a week earlier. Fellow midfielder Miguel Ibarra didn't train Tuesday, but Heath said he was "hopeful" he'll be ready by Saturday.
Francisco Calvo and Rasmus Schuller have obligations with their national teams and won't be available Saturday.
"We'll go with what we've got," Heath said.
