Real Salt Lake

It shut up a bunch of skeptics, roared back for an unprecedented road victory, and knocked off the defending champion and best team in the league.

Yet nobody wanted to christen RSL the new championship favorite in Major League Soccer just yet.

“By no means are we favorites,” defender Nat Borchers said. “I know we in this locker room believe in each other, and we have all season. There's been a lot of doubters out there, but by no means are we favorites. We know that whoever we play, the next round will be away and we know that's going to present a very difficult challenge for us.”

The team must wait until Chicago and New England meet in the second leg of their first-round playoff series on Saturday to learn which opponent it will face next weekend for the right to advance to the MLS Cup championship game Nov. 22 in Seattle.

RSL split victories with New England in the regular season, and tied at home against Chicago after losing on the road.

"Teams that know how to win find ways to win," defender Robbie Russell said.