WHO:

New York Red Bulls, defeated Charleston Battery and Tampa Bay Rowdies in Rounds 1 & 2

WHAT:

The USL Eastern Conference Finals

WHEN:

Saturday, November 4, 2017, 7:30 p.m.

WHERE:

Louisville Slugger Field, 401 E. Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202

WATCH:

SEE THAT ADDRESS ONE PARAGRAPH ABOVE? BE THERE. Or watch it on WBKI 34, listen on 790 WKRD or watch on the YouTubes.

WEATHER:

IRRELEVANT, THIS IS THE CONFERENCE FINALS.

WHO, AGAIN?

Until that first match up in Montclair, New Jersey early in the season, Louisville City had never beaten the Red Bulls II. The Red Bulls Two had handed City its worst-ever home loss in 2015, and then squeaked through to the USL Cup Final in 2016 after going to penalties against the Violablancos at Red Bull Arena.

But then, Montclair. Louisville City countered the Red Bulls, Too? to smithereens in their best match of the season, 0-3. Then, City handled their business against the Way Too Red Bulls 2-1 at Slugger at the end of July.

So while it appears the Red Bulls Tú curse is broken, they’re still the team in City’s path to the championship. They still have Junior Flemmings and Stefano Bonomo and Florian Valot and Vincent Bezecourt. Someone out there is disrespecting Zeiko Lewis, and he knows it. They’re very talented and very well-coached. They thrive on pace and isolation. Their big weakness, though, is a leaky faucet in defense that let in 61 (SIXTY ONE?) goals during the regular season. They’ve managed to stem that tide so far this post-season, just giving up one goal, but for how long?

This match represents the last step in Louisville City’s 2017 Revenge Tour TM. They knocked out their 2015 Eastern Conference Final opponents last week in dramatic fashion. Now they play their 2016 conference final opponent. I’ll put my money on the same result, but hopefully without the dramatics, please.

COME ON, CITY.