MEXICO CITY - Pumas UNAM completed the Mexican sweep of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, joining Cruz Azul, Toluca and Pachuca in the semifinal stage after thrashing Marathon 6-1 Thursday night at Estadio Olimpico Universitario.
Pumas, which advanced 6-3 on aggregate, will meet Cruz Azul on March 31 in the first leg of their semifinal series, while Toluca and Pachuca clash in the other a day earlier. The result assures that the championship will remain in Mexico for a second straight year and that the country will win a fifth consecutive CONCACAF club title.
Pumas attacked the visitors from Honduras from the opening kick, erasing a 2-0 first-leg deficit in the opening 22 minutes.
Pablo Barrera put the hosts in front three minutes after the start, taking a pair of touches before blasting the ball over the right shoulder of Marathon goalkeeper Orlin Vallecillo from 30 meters.
Barrera then set up the second goal in the 22nd minute when his cross went off Vallecillo's hand and fell to Ismael Iniguez, who easily headed into the goal.
Iniguez made it 3-0 for Pumas 13 minutes later, placing a low shot from 25 meters that bounced off the right post and into the net.
Martin Bravo added to the onslaught, taking Paco Palencia's pass over the top of the Marathon defense and lobbing the ball over a helpless Vallecillo from the top of the box in the 50th minute.
Three minutes later Marathon gained some hope on a remarkable gaffe by Pumas goalkeeper Alejandro Palacios. He let Jehu Chiapas' back pass from midfield under his foot and into the net for a stunning own-goal.
Palencia ended any Marathon chances by the 63rd minute, taking Barrera's pass and finishing from 12 meters to put Pumas in front 5-1.
In the 72nd minute, Oscar Rojas, who replaced Barrera four minutes earlier, appeared to have Vallecillo beaten on a downward header, but the ball bounced just wide of the far post before Palencia could pounce.
Marathon pressed forward and had two quality chances two minutes later, but Palacios saved Luis Lopez's well-struck attempt from 14 meters and Pumas defender Humberto Gonzalez slid in to block the rebound.
Walter Martinez, who scored a penalty kick in the opening leg, had a free kick from 22 meters sail just over the crossbar in the 76th minute.
Luis Fuentes nearly added to the rout, but hammered his attempt from 20 meters off the crossbar in the 85th minute. Palencia, though, wouldn't miss, scoring his second goal of the game in the 90th minute off a pass from Iniguez as Pumas easily advanced to the semifinals after shredding the Marathon defense in a dominant display.
