5:1 Louisville New York Ilic Spencer Williams 2 Ownby Barlow 11.02.18 · Playoff

Defending USL Cup champion Louisville City earned the right to defend its title with a 5-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls II in the Eastern Conference Final of the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs on Friday night at Slugger Field.

The Red Bulls II had a chance in the 17th minute, as referee Ramy Touchan pointed to the spot after George Davis IV had clipped the heel of New York forward Jared Stroud as he tried to latch onto Ethan Kutler's diagonal cross. Chris Lema stepped up to the spot for New York, but the midfielder slipped at the pivotal moment and lofted his effort over Greg Ranjitsingh's crossbar.

The referee was the center of attention once again just five minutes later as he awarded another penalty kick -- this time to Louisville -- after New York captain Andrew Tinari shoved Ilija Ilic near the edge of the box following a short corner routine. Ilic placed the ball on the penalty spot and sent Evan Louro the wrong way, rolling a right-footed effort into the bottom-left corner to open the scoring.

The home side doubled its advantage in the 32nd minute as Luke Spencer tapped home Brian Ownby's low cross from the left wing to cap a well-worked passing move. New York pressed to pull a goal back before the break and nearly capitalized on a Louisville turnover in its defensive third as Jose Aguinaga slipped a pass to Stroud, who scuffed his shot wide of the frame with two minutes remaining in the opening half.

The visitors pulled a goal back in the 60th minute as Kutler was allowed time and space to deliver an inch-perfect cross from the right and Tom Barlow made the most of his second chance, heading the ball past Ranjitsingh and into the bottom-right corner of the net for his second goal of the postseason.

Louisville restored its two-goal advantage in the 73rd minute as Williams -- who won the 2016 USL Cup as a member of the Red Bulls II -- haunted his former club with a right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area that whizzed past Louro and into the back of the net. Williams doubled his tally just two minutes later with a spectacular strike from the top of the box that evaded Louro's outstretched arms and essentially sealed his side's victory.

Louisville wasn't done quite yet, as Ownby rounded out the win with his side's fifth goal of the night nine minutes from time, firing a rebound into the back of the net after Louro had saved the forward's initial effort.