New England Revolution 2008

The Revolution reached the postseason for the seventh consecutive year with a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference, but an up-and-down campaign ended with a first-round playoff exit. Despite early-season injuries to Taylor Twellman and Steve Ralston, the Revs soared to the top of the MLS standings with a 10-4-3 record through 17 games. During a month-long break from the league schedule in July, New England became the first MLS team to win SuperLiga, a feat that was capped by a remarkable victory over the Houston Dynamo in a penalty shootout in the competition's final on Aug. 5. However, fixture congestion and a rash of injuries slowed the Revolution late in the season, as the club went 2-7-4 during the final 13 games and slipped from first to third in the conference. For the fourth consecutive year, New England met the rival Chicago Fire in the playoffs - this time in the Eastern Conference Semifinals - but for the first time in that stretch, the Fire eliminated the Revs. A 3-0 aggregate loss in the two-game series ended the Revolution's season and snapped the club's record of six straight appearances in the conference final.