There’s no questioning the national title credentials of either Akron or Louisville. Both teams showed tremendous character in securing 2-1 wins Friday evening to setup Sunday’s College Cup Final in Santa Barbara, Calif. (4 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

The two sides will meet for the first time this season in a matchup of the No. 1 and No. 3 seeds in the tournament. Louisville coach Ken Lolla will be facing his old program, but getting here with his current school has been the target all along.

“For this group and this team, it's a goal we set at the beginning of the season,” he said after Friday’s win over North Carolina. “We polished each step every step of the way.”

Standing in the Cardinals’ way is Akron, who are making a second straight championship appearance. The program’s ascension in the last few years under Caleb Porter has been tremendous.

[inline_node:322393]Utilizing an attractive, possession-oriented style, Porter’s side whips the ball around the field, bombing forward with breakneck pace. What makes the Zips truly deadly is that a number of players can score, not just their forwards. This was on display against Michigan, as goals by defensive midfielder Perry Kitchen (top right) and defender Kofi Sarkodie led Akron to victory.

After going scoreless in two games in last year’s College Cup, Porter said that tallying against the Wolverines was important.

"We didn't score a goal in the College Cup last year and we've proven this year we can score," he said.

Breaking down a disciplined and organized Louisville side will be Akron’s task on Sunday. Led by Big East Defender of the Year Austin Berry and J.T. Murray, the Cardinals will lean on their defensive strength and look to counter through junior star forward Colin Rolfe (bottom right).

Rolfe can play with his back to the goal and will need to hold up the ball and wait for other teammates to join him in the attack. Because of Akron’s propensity to throw numbers forward, it leaves them open to a counterattack, which Louisville will surely look to exploit.

[inline_node:323385]Kitchen is one of the main reasons Akron has enjoyed success. As a defensive midfielder, he sits in front of the back four, breaking up the counter and, along with central defender Zarek Valentin, will aim to shackle Rolfe.

Both sides will focus on what they do well, first and foremost. Lolla and Porter each have emphasized to their players to execute their game plan, and the results will come thereafter. Sarkodie hinted at that attitude in the aftermath of Friday’s win.

“We've got to focus on ourselves and if we do that, we don't really need to worry so much about our opponent," he said.

While Akron has been here before, Sunday will mark Louisville’s first trip to the College Cup Final, an exciting prospect for coach and players alike.

"It is exciting to be playing for the national championship,” Lolla said. “It is where we expected to be all season. We are excited at this point to be able to compete for it. I am very proud of this team because they faced a lot of adversity.”

"[Reaching the final] feels great,” said Berry. “[It’s] something coming into college you always dream of – to take home the trophy. We need to stay humble and hungry."

There’s no doubting that each side will enter final with a desire to win and the skill to do so. On paper, Akron could be viewed as the more talented team, but they surely won’t take Louisville lightly – going unbeaten for an entire year is no small feat.

Come Sunday, a deserving champion will be crowned. And whether that is decided in 90 minutes, through a sudden-death goal in overtime, or in the agony of penalty kicks, both teams will be prepared and ready to leave it all on the field, as they’ve done all season.

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