The New England Revolution advanced to the MLS Cup final following a 4-3 aggregate victory over the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference championship. Charlie Davies was the hero who helped New England advance with two goals in the game. Just like his team, he has returned to top form after overcoming hardship.

New England hasn't been to an MLS Cup final since 2007. Since then, the Revolution have only made it as far as the conference semifinals. They also missed the playoffs between 2010-12. The Revs were underachievers. But since Jay Heaps took over as head coach, they've become one of the most dynamic teams in the league.

Davies was also at the top of his game up until 2009, just before New England's decline began. The striker was a member of the U.S. men's national team and contributed to its eventual qualification to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

However, in June of 2009, Davies was involved in a horrific car accident in Washington, D.C. He suffered a broken fibula, tibia, torn ligaments in his knee, severe head trauma and a lacerated bladder, plus numerous minor injuries. It was a near-death experience, and this tragic crash kept the American out of the World Cup—and essentially ended his international career.

Davies managed to recover and returned to competitive action with the Sochaux reserve team, which, at the time, was his club. He then spent a year on loan to D.C. United and scored 11 goals in 26 appearances. The option to make the move permanent wasn't picked up by the MLS side.

The 28-year-old then played for Danish team Randers, but he was loaned back to MLS. This time, New England took a shot on the former U.S. international.

The Revolution signed Davies to a permanent deal just before the current campaign. His scoring output declined from 2011, as the forward had just three goals in 18 appearances in the regular season. The reason for his low amount of tallies was that he sustained a chronic calf injury and never became a key starter until late July.

Heaps still called on Davies to lead the line in the playoffs. That was a smart move from the young tactician, because his striker has now scored four goals from just eight shots, per MLSSoccer.com.

The last two goals are arguably the most important for Davies and are easily the biggest of the Revolution's season.

Heading into the 2014 campaign, Davies was considered an underdog who played for a dark-horse team that will now be participating in the MLS Cup final on December 7. The Revs previously lost in three consecutive appearances, per Comcast Sportsnet. But with their newfound resilience, New England is in a position to erase their past history.

An MLS Cup win would also be a satisfying end to an arduous five-year journey for Davies. He lost his spot with the USMNT, and he may never have the chance to experience a World Cup. But winning a trophy for his club would be almost as satisfying.

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