Real Salt Lake's game in the first round of the MLS playoffs earlier this month is the epitome of the team that will play tomorrow's Western Conference Finals against the Portland Timbers.
In that game she met the Seattle Saunders, and for a full 120 minutes - 90 plus 30 overtime - did not even kick Stephen Fry's goal once.
Not to the frame, not out of it, no kick towards the goal.
Still, even though Seattle kicked her hair 21 times, she won.
In the shorter RSL penalty shootout she scored all six of her kicks, Seattle missed one, and after also passing Gadi Kinda's Sporting Kansas City she is now two games away from becoming the champion who will do so - if and when - against all odds.
Those chances began to plummet in August of last year when the group's owner, Del Levy Hansen, was forced to put the group up for sale.
An investigation by "THE ATHLETIC" revealed many cases in which he used racist chants and sexual harassment against club employees, the pressure on him was great, the team's games were canceled, and he eventually laid down the keys.
Many fans canceled the appointment and boycotted the team games, and a new buyer has not yet arrived.
"We miss games," said fan representative Jeremy Johnson, "but we can not pay money to a club headed by such a man."
If that wasn’t enough, four months ago team coach Freddie Juarez decided to abruptly resign in favor of the assistant coach job at the same Seattle Saunders - another move that highlighted how serious the team’s situation is.
In fact, for several months now she has not had an owner, no fan organization and no coach.
On the lines stands former player Pablo Mastroianni, still on the standard of a temporary coach, and somehow it succeeds.
"It's all a matter of faith"
Real Salt Lake has a very modest staff.
The second cheapest in the league.
On paper the biggest star is striker Bobby Wood with a past in the Bundesliga and national team, while on the grass star Croatian Demir Kreilch, Anderson Julio from Ecuador, Slovakian Albert Rosenk and local Rubio Mendes.
The offensive part is more impressive than the defensive one, but the most impressive is the team's luck throughout the season.
Pablo Mastroianni (right).
Takes out of nowhere, Photo: EP
She only made it to the playoffs thanks to a goal by Kreilech in the 95th minute of the last round, in the first round she won without a kick to the goal and in the Western semifinals she won again in extra time.
Gambling agencies gave her a 9% chance of reaching the semifinals, and here she is in the Western Conference finals.
"We silence the mouths of a lot of people and we love it," said 20-year-old goalkeeper David Ochoa.
"It's all a matter of faith," Creilech added, "everyone who has been here has been a true warrior for the past year and we must continue to believe in ourselves."
Ahead of the final against Portland, RSL is once again the "uncle" who has to face Goliath.
No one gives her a chance, which is exactly what she wants.
"All the things that have happened to us this year have prepared us mentally for these moments," Mastroianni said this week.
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