Following Minnesota United’s win at San Diego two weeks ago, the Loons were riding high. They were about to play a U.S. Open Cup semifinal, and they were within striking distance of the lead in the race for the Supporters’ Shield.

In the span of four days and two losses, though, their chances at both of those trophies disappeared.

“We thought we had a good chance at winning, or competing, for three trophies, and now we are only [alive] for the last one,” Loons midfielder Robin Lod said.

Read more: Minnesota United tries to get back on track vs. Colorado

Minnesota United’s training sessions are exactly what you would expect for the most part. The team works on tactics and on fitness, practices set pieces and works to build precision on the ball — serious work, in other words.

All except when they warm up on the day before a game. That’s when things get a bit, well, silly.

Read more: Friday is game day at Minnesota United practice

Minnesota United has been proud all season about how rare it is for them to be behind on the scoreboard.

Of course, that was with their first string in the game. With a team full of backups and new players, maybe all bets are off.

Read more: Beat-up, tired Minnesota United blanked 3-0 at home by Chicago Fire

EARLIER: Loons’ Kelvin Yeboah, Carlos Harvey out at least a month

GAME STORY: Loons lose 2-1 to Austin FC in U.S. Open Cup semifinals

Following Minnesota United’s 2-1 extra-time loss to Austin FC, knocking the Loons out of the U.S. Open Cup in the semifinals, captain Michael Boxall didn’t need any prompting to put the game in context.

“I’ve been here far too long — seven, eight years — and we’ve been in that position what, three times?” he said. “It doesn’t come around too often, so it sucks.”

Die-hard Loons fans know exactly which were the three times he was referring to.

Read more: Minnesota United falls to Austin FC in U.S. Open Cup Semis

“It’s the possibility of playing a final in your own stadium, which I’m sure I’ll say to the players in the coming days — that’s not something that you necessarily get across a 10-, 12-year career at this level,” manager Eric Ramsay said. “So it’s a really unique opportunity and one that we’ve got to take advantage of.”

It’s one of the beauties of soccer, that there are playoffs in the middle of the season. It’s something the WNBA and NBA have started trying to replicate in their own schedules. It’s everything a Loons fan could want.

Isn’t it?

Read more: Minnesota United pushes tickets for U.S. Open Cup semifinal

GAME STORY: Minnesota United comes alive late for 3-1 victory at San Diego that puts top of Western Conference within reach

When the dust settled from Minnesota United’s 3-1 victory at San Diego late Saturday night, the Loons were left in a place they have simply never been at this point of the season.

The victory meant the Loons set a club record for points in a season, with 54. It also put them squarely in the race for the top seed in the Western Conference. They now trail San Diego by only two points with four games to play — though Vancouver, which hammered Philadelphia 7-0 on Saturday night, is two points back of the Loons and has two games in hand.

Read more: Analysis: Loons’ victory at San Diego is the latest sign of a special season

It is very tempting to cast Saturday’s clash between Minnesota United and San Diego FC not only as a battle of the top two teams in the Western Conference standings but also as a referendum on the game of soccer itself.

Read more: Minnesota United’s MLS game at San Diego pits separate approaches

He’s been in the United States less than a week, but it feels like you can already tell that new Minnesota United attacker Dominik Fitz is a veteran.

Conducting what was purportedly his first-ever interview in English, Fitz at one point struggled to find a word, then stopped himself and said, politely, “Next question.”

Veteran move, new guy.

Read more: Minnesota United welcomes attacker Dominik Fitz to the fold

Minnesota United chief soccer officer Khaled El-Ahmad always knew he’d have to field offers for his best players.

Just maybe not quite so soon.

“I thought maybe some of these offers would come after the World Cup,” he said. “It’s just a testament to what [manager] Eric [Ramsay] and the players are doing.”

Read more: MNUFC’s Khaled El-Ahmad is proud of club’s player development

GAME STORY: Minnesota United settles for draw with Portland after Robin Lod’s late equalizer

SIDEBAR: Minnesota United fans honor Annunciation Church shooting victims

Minnesota United has a two-week break in the calendar, but when the Loons do return, they will be coming back for perhaps the most pivotal non-playoff week of their season.

After a game Sept. 13 in San Diego — potentially with the top spot in the Western Conference on the line, depending on San Diego’s result against LAFC late Sunday night — Minnesota plays host to Austin midweek on Sept. 17 in a U.S. Open Cup semifinal.

ANALYSIS: Minnesota United gets a break before crucial two-game set

Minnesota United isn’t technically qualified yet for the MLS Cup playoffs. But after a 3-1 win against Real Salt Lake, they are realistically not only in the playoff field, but also in the driver’s seat to have home-field advantage for a round or two.

Robin Lod and Joaquín Pereyra scored on either side of halftime for Minnesota, adding to an early Real Salt Lake own goal, and Minnesota cruised to a comfortable victory in Utah.

Read more: Loons cruise to 3-1 win over Real Salt Lake