LAREDO, Texas. (July 24, 2026) – Fort Lauderdale United FC’s USL League Two squad’s 2026 USL League Two Playoff campaign came to a close on Friday evening, falling to Laredo Heat SC in penalty kicks in the Southern Conference Final in Laredo, Texas. With the result, Fort Lauderdale exits in the Southern Conference Semifinal for the second consecutive season, closing its second campaign in franchise history with 12W-1D-2L, 30 goals scored and 5 goals conceded.
Playing on the road in a hostile environment, the first 90 minutes were a physical affair. The battle-tested Fort Lauderdale squad played a gritty game on both ends of the pitch, nearly scoring on numerous occasions as it played tough on the defensive end. Despite playing 90 minutes, neither team scored and the sides required extra time to find a winner.
The first half of extra time was back and forth, but neither team found the back of the net. Laredo jumped out in front just three minutes into the second half of extra time but in celebration, the goalscorer removed his kit and was shown his second yellow card of the match. The booking gave Fort Lauderdale an advantage for the final 12 minutes as the club chased an equalizer, but in the 112th minute, Raul Leyva was shown a red card to put both teams at 10 men each. Just three minutes later, Rafa Coronado sent in a cross that deflected off a Laredo defender, bouncing into the net to bring Fort Lauderdale level and send the two teams into a penalty shootout.
Fabrizio Cubeddu and Kameron Lacey found the back of the net while Nigel Van Haveren made back-to-back elite saves in the shootout, but Fort Lauderdale fell 2-3 in penalty kicks to Laredo Heat SC in the Southern Conference Final.
Back In Action
Our Fort Lauderdale United FC USL League Two team will return to the pitch in the summer of 2027 for the third season in franchise history. Follow @FTLUTDMENS & @FTLUTDACADEMY on Instagram to stay updated with all news regarding the squad!
