the road against El Paso Patriots, but were dominant elsewhere, closing the season with four straight wins and a bizarre 3–3 tie with Mississippi Brilla, who fought back from being 3–0 down at half time and equalized with an 87th-minute penalty kick! They finished the regular season 8 points clear of El Paso at the top of the Mid South Division standings, and hosted the Southern Conference playoffs for a second year. After comfortably dispatching Central Florida Kraze 4–0 on the conference semifinal, they then beat Southeast Division champions Carolina Dynamo to retain their Conference championship and book their place in the national Final Four for the second straight year. Their opponents there were Western Conference champs Fresno Fuego, who proved to be dogged competition; Laredo eventually scored an 84th-minute winner through teenager Felix Garcia, and held out for a 1–0 win to take their place in the 2007 PDL Championship Game. The game, which Laredo hosted, saw them facing off again against Central Conference champions Michigan Bucks, the first time in PDL history that the same teams had qualified for consecutive championship games. After a tense 0–0 tie through regular time and extra time, Laredo sent their 6,640 home fans crazy by winning the penalty shoot-out 4–3. Felix Garcia struck the winning kick past Bucks keeper Steve Clark. The shootout was notable for the injury to Michigan striker Kenny Uziogwe who, after taking a penalty kick which was saved by Laredo keeper Ryan Cooper, immediately collapsed in agony with cramp; however, when the referee called the penalty back due to Cooper being off his line, Uziogwe was unable to continue, and despite receiving treatment for 10 minutes on the field, had to be substituted during the shoot-out. 2008 As 2-time PDL Championship finalists and reigning national champions, Laredo were expected to be competitive in 2008, and did not disappoint. They started strongly, with two ties and a win in their opening three games, but were unexpectedly beaten 1–0 by expansion team Austin Aztex U23, who proved to be their regular-season nemesis. Laredo stuttered slightly in June, having to come from behind to tie 3–3 with New Orleans Shell Shockers, fighting back strongly to register three consecutive three goal victories, but then losing twice in two days to the El Paso Patriots, ensuring that the fight for the playoff spots would be a close one themselves, El Paso and Austin.