Omar Ureña / @omarurena_

This Saturday morning at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario the powerful UNAM Pumas host the IPN Burros Blancos, a tough team that they defeated in week 8 of the ONEFA in the match that marked the return of a Pumas-Poli Classic to the the Ciudad de los Deportes Stadium.

That day the Burros Blancos, emulating the UNAM Cóndores in the 1990 Championship game made a spectacular entry through the grandstands descending between maroon and white smoke to the gridiron in which they fought with guts in the first half.

Burros Blancos (@BB_IPN)

Pumas arrived to the field, wearing their navy blue ponchos with the golden U, determined to beat and hit the Polytechnic really hard. Being tied 7-7 and with seconds remaining to finish the second quarter Pumas QB, Marco Antonio Durán, threw a touchdown pass to Alejandro Prado that weighed too much on the previously undefeated team of the ONEFA Green Group.

Cuauhtémoc Vargas (Gráfico Sports)

From there, Pumas developed explosive plays on offense and defense. In the third quarter, a long pass from the Burros Blancos QB, Alejandro García, was intercepted by Oscar Patricio Muñoz and returned to the 27 yard line in polytechnic territory. Plays later, Duran sent another touchdown pass for the Pumas, this time Ricardo Sainz was the one who made the 23-yard catch to put the score 21-7. With a 26-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, Diego Reyes sealed the 33-7 win for the University of Mexico.

Pumas CU reaches the semifinal as the best defense with only 46 points against while the defense of Burros Blancos has allowed 185 points. It is a difficult task to gain yards against the Golden Horde defense but the Zacatenco team can achieve a fight one on one against the blue and gold team if they reach the level of courage and discipline they showed in the Civil War held at the Ciudad de los Deportes Stadium, and in which with great performance from their defense they beat IPN Águilas Blancas 21-7.

Everything lies in the the offensive line to protect the talented Alejandro Díaz. On the other hand UNAM Pumas also defeated the Águilas Blancas last Saturday at the Olimpico Universitario Stadium with a score of 33-10.

Reportera de bolsillo

The University front seven had the firm decision to punish the offensive leaders of the Santo Tomás team and showed no mercy to an offensive line that never could stop the Pumas blitz.

Reportera de Bolsillo

This semi-final is the rematch eagerly awaited by the maroon and white team of coach Francisco Chaparro, however the Golden Pumas, led by Otto Becerril, look like the favorites to take the third classic POLI-UNAM of this year and advance to the championship game against the winner in Monterrey this Friday night between the UANL Authentic Tigers and the IPN Águilas Blancas.