PLATEA CONTRA PUMAS

HELLO TO ALL
 
For my friends Argentinean, Venezuelan, Colombian and Chilean. The idiom "Bridge" is used to denote a workaday which people does not work it because it's between a holiday and weekend.
 
Saturday, September 18th.

This isn't an ordinary Saturday. It's a Saturday of bridge, a day to continue the feasts allusive to the Mexican Independence day. A Saturday, waited for many soccer fans. And this Saturday, is a day that promises itself. It's a Saturday wich will have one of the most attractive duels of the season. This is a Saturday which is going to face two teams with great rivalry. Is a Saturday in which the blue squad will want to break free itself of the yoke that has been imposed by Pumas. This Saturday La Máquina Celeste de la Cruz Azul will face versus Pumas de la Universidad Nacional.  Although the teams do not walk at their better moment, is possible to emphasize that in this duel the pride leaves afloat; love to jersey's squad is shown.

In addition, it's the Pumas opportunity to appear in the pressence of its Mexico City fans, eager to see them in action, because due to strike in U.N.A.M., its stadium remains closed.
 
Little by little the followers of both teams that didn't leave the city,  direct themselves towards the Estadio Azul. By the streets of the City they see themselves waving flags of their favorite team that in awhile more has to fight a great battle.
 
Pumas has been the cementeros' twig in the nineties. On the other hand, los celestes hope to receive revenge of the painful defeat that suffered by the felines and that it left them off post-season when they were the great favorites  to gain the championship. In addition, Cruz Azul wants to recover its prestige of  flawless at home, label that characterized it in last 2 seasons, where in 24 games  won 18 and tied only 6. But of those 6 ties, 2 have been against Universidad.

At estadio Azul, cementeros have not been able to defeat to the blue-golden squad.  It's almost 17:00 and the Estadio Azul shines a great entrance. More than 35.000 assistants jam the inclosure from Ciudad de los Deportes, in which a few non occupied seats are observed. The canticles in the tribune,  the shouts, the club fans, the colorful papers, the flare lights and a great  atmosphere indicate that everything is ready; just we hope that the teams deliver  the 100% of their capacity in the field.   First in jumping to the field is Pumas, that dresses its guest uniform : Socks, short and jersey in white, with the Puma symbol in the chest. On the other hand, Cruz Azul shines a variant in his kit : Everything is blue  with white borders; this garment looks it elegant.
 
Everything is ready and...
 
KICK OFF!!!!!
 
The tribune is upholstered by a mosaic of flags in blue, white, navy blue and gold.
 
The game initiates to good rate, as at 5 minutes of started it, Jesus Olalde, Pumas' forward, has a clearly opportunity to score; he carries the ball into the 18 ft. area,  is prepared to shoot to "Conejo" Perez; this one leaves bravely trying to defend his goal and...
 
PEREZ OBTAINS IT!!!!!!
 
The strategy is offensive, and that is observed in the constant arrivals to both goals. At 14th minute UNAM attacks. Israel Lopez arriving for the right sector, opens  the blue defensive; he has the opportunity to shoot and no thinking it twice he tries it. The ball furrows the wind, and there goes Oscar Perez flying...
 
THE BALL WENT OVER THE CEMENTEROS GOAL!
 
Cruz Azul, although lacks variants in its plan, tries to create danger plays. Elapsed 21 minutes, the Argentinean Mauro Camoranesi enters to the enemy area through the right flank, whereas Jorge Campos leaves to drain land. Mauro observes it, is ready, point and shoot. The ball goes direct to the University goal, but the World Cup goalkeeper,  with a great reaction, almost deflectes the trajectory of the ball.

Again Cruz Azul in eagerness to win finally at home, is sent ferocious to the front, and passed 29 minutes, in badly rejects of Joaquin Beltrán, Francisco Palencia has a superb opportunity to set his team ahead in the score. Palencia shoots...

AND SHOOTS SO, SO BADLY!!!!
 
A minute later, los universitarios have a clear opportunity in a free kick. Israel Lopez is ready, shot and the ball goes towards Perez's goal...
 
BUT LOPEZ'S SHOT LEAVES ABOVE THE CROSSPIECE SLIGHTLY!
 
Shortly after "Gambetita" Diego Latorre has a great chance to score, he faces Jorge Campos, the goalkeeper makes the bailing, Diego crosses the ball, at the tribune the goal is feasted...
 
BUT THE BALL LEAVES OFF THE TRACK!!!!!
 
They spend the minutes and Julio Cesar Pinheiro, who by the way played very badly, tries to shoot from outside the 18 ft. area, but his throw is  stopped easily by Jorge Campos.
 
Little by little the first half is finished, and Cruz Azul show signs of a lack of conjunction;
lack of variants and plans to drill the enemy goal. Moreno is out of the game. The blue fans think that the half time is the ideal moment so that Luis Fernando Tena moved his pieces. It is time to send away to Pinheiro and Moreno, to call to  "Matute" Morales and also to Jaime Ruiz. Result of the first time: a deafening hiss for both squads, for non responding to the expectations.
 
The day's bad notice: A reporter was reached about a firework sent from the tribune in which were the university fans were settled. Situation that does not have to be,  because this is only one sport war.    In the complementary half the teams came out to play with offensive vocation. Few minutes after of hostilities were reinitiated, in a free kick, Christian Zermatten is prepared to shoot. It's a very good shot; it goes over the barrier and  goes towards Conejo's goal, who facing the imminent danger,  jumps enormously, stretches as long as he can, clears the ball.  The goal is feasted by universitarian fans...
 
AND THE BALL CRASHES IT AGAINST THE CROSSPIECE!!!!!!!!!
 
The subsequent minutes are a great torture for the blues, that have been harassed very insistently by Universidad. In an offensive play, Mauro Camoranesi leads the ball, but Gerardo Torrado, who already has been yellow card advised, kicked Mauro. Second yellow card appeared, and therefore, the carmine cardboard is shown to him.
 
UNIVERSIDAD REMAINS WITH 10 PLAYERS!
 
This is the moment that Cruz Azul as much has hoped: it's time to send theirselves yet to the boarding; it's time to look for the triumph, because the table is set.
 
When Pumas' player was sent-off , Rafael Amador, Puma's coach, decide to play in a conservator style and keep only Olalde as a forward. Luis Fernando Tena also knows that it is the suitable moment to defeat Universidad, reason why "Matute" Morales plays instead of Pinheiro.
 
Everything seems arranged so that Cruz Azul gets the triumph, but the teams of Tena does not have offensive options in its game: Everything is reduced to  attack through the bands and center the ball...
 
THUS THE GAME CAN'T BE WON!!!
 
At 70th minute another disagreeable incident happens. When is ready to throw a free kick, is thrown to Zermattén a firework from the tribune. Luckyly the happening wasn't worst, but it could be reason for punishment for cementeros. Meanwhile in the tribune they arise small coborn from quarrel, but that did not pass of the insults. Lack little so that the encounter finishes. It has been intense, both teams have battled, but no guess right in score.
The game is in its final minutes, and in an error of the cementeros deffensive, Manuel de la Torre controls the ball within the 18 ft. area, she shoots powerfully, and everything
indicates that the ball finally will kiss the nets...
 
BUT APPEARS THE RESCUING FIGURE OF "CONEJO" PEREZ!!!!!!!!
 
Finally the game finishes, it has been a tie 0-0 but it seems a defeat for the blue ones, and more if it is taken into account that in this season from 3 games at home Cruz Azul has lost 1 and has tied 2; thet is, it has harvested only 2 units of 9 possible ones.
 
And the Locomotore that in house coiled the rivals, today is not more than a memory. Today that Locomotore needs an adjustment, because it is not the same one of before.