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Long-shot Pumas host dark horse Atlas in ‘other semifinal’

By Thomas Buckley

The Pumas have never lost to Atlas in a playoff match, winning all four postseason meetings against the Zorros. (Photo by CLAUDIO CRUZ/AFP via Getty Images)
The Pumas have never lost to Atlas in a playoff match, winning all four postseason meetings against the Zorros. (Photo by CLAUDIO CRUZ/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Pumas striker Juan Ignacio Dinenno (in white) can expect to be closely marked by Hugo Nervo (left) and the Atlas defense during their Liga MX semifinal series. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images) /

The Pumas-Atlas match-up was always going to be “the other semifinal” but Wednesday night’s thriller that saw the No. 4 Tigres snatch victory from No. 3 León deep in added time ought not to distract Liga MX fans from tonight’s game in the CU.

Neither UNAM nor Atlas were considered title contenders at the start of the season – the Pumas have undergone a dramatic fiscal downsizing, while the Zorros are only a season removed from serious “relegation” concerns.

Of the 12 teams that made the Liga MX playoffs this season, the Pumas did it with the second-lowest payroll ($30.8 million dollars). In fact, the Pumas claim the fourth-lowest payroll among the 18 Liga MX franchises.

Atlas, on the other hand, is in the midst of a makeover that started shortly after Grupo Orlegi took over operations of the Guadalajara-based club in 2019. Positive results are already evident and a solid foundation is being established, but nobody foresaw the Zorros as a legitimate Liga MX finalist this season.

Rare playoff meeting

These two teams have met only twice before in the Liga MX playoffs with the Pumas coming out on top both times. Both prior postseason engagements occurred in 2004, and UNAM went on to win the Liga MX title both seasons.

In the Clausura 2004, Hugo Sánchez led the Pumas to a second-place finish, matching up against No. 7 seed Atlas and coach Sergio Bueno in the quarterfinals. UNAM coasted to victory, winning both legs (2-1 at Estadio Jalisco and 3-1 at the CU).

The following season, the defending champs squeaked into the Apertura 2004 playoffs as a No. 8 seed while Atlas finished fourth in the Liga MX table. They would meet again in the semifinals with both teams pumped up and confident.

Atlas swept aside the Chivas, winning the postseason “Clásico Tapatío” via a 4-3 scoreline, while UNAM brushed past the top-seeded Tiburones of Veracruz 4-1. In the semifinals, “los felinos” again emerged victorious over the Zorros, and in comfortable fashion. The Pumas won 4-3 at home and 2-1 in Guadalajara

So there is a bit of familiarity in this season’s storyline with UNAM arriving to the semifinals by dumping the No. 1 seed, but the difference is the Clausura 2004 version of the Pumas was a veteran team coming off a championship. The Apertura 2021 version of the Pumas were simply trying to return to the Liga MX playoffs after missing out last season.

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