Some Liga MX teams made the postseason by an all-out commitment to attack, others by adapting a defensive mentality. The marquee semifinal between Pumas and America, who will meet in the first leg Thursday and again in Sunday's second leg for a berth in the Liga MX final, pits two teams who believe in the philosophy of 'All things in moderation.'

America, technically the underdog coming in as the No. 6 seed though the bookmakers don't see it that way, got plenty of attention with its quarterfinal stomping of Leon. Las Aguilas scored nearly at will, putting four goals past William Yarbrough in the first leg and following that up with an insurance goal in the second after peppering the American goalkeeper with shots. Star forward Dario Benedetto is rounding into form after scoring eight regular-season goals, scoring a penalty in the first leg and notching the goal in the second leg just two minutes after entering as a substitute. Michael Arroyo scored a long-range goal in the first leg, and though Oribe Peralta didn't get on the mark, he continued to impose himself on the back line. 

The offensive showing was impressive, but what was even more important to America was not that it took advantage of Los Panzas Verdes' porous defense but that its defenders were just as impressive. Paolo Goltz has had an inconsistent season but got on the score sheet in the first leg, as did fellow back-line member Paul Aguilar. They also helped control an attack that had been one of the league's most productive, though the injury to Mauro Boselli was a welcome boost for America.

There don't look to be any big absences for Pumas, whose attack boasts Ismael Sosa, who scored 10 goals, Eduardo "Lalo" Herrera, and Ecuador international Fidel Martinez, who scored the goal that helped give Pumas passage to the semifinals in a 1-1 aggregate draw with Veracruz. 

Like America, though, Pumas is a very balanced team, in fact part of the reason Pumas comes into the tournament as the Superlider is because of the league's best goal difference with +17 seeing it top Tigres' +10 and the +9 America and Toluca finished the season with. What sharp-eyed readers will notice is that quartet is the one that finds itself still allive in the race for the Apertura title.

Pumas' defense probably hasn't gotten enough credit for the turnaround Memo Vazquez's men have engineered this year. Luis Fuentes played well enough to earn a call-up and at least a couple of starting opportunities from new Mexico manager Juan Carlos Osorio at left back. Dario Veron has been very impressive at age 36, anchoring the unit that gave up fewer goals than all but one Liga MX side this season.

The teams gave away little in a recent meeting at the Estadio Azteca, with both putting in measured performances with the Liguilla in sight. Now, the main event has arrived, with America defender Miguel Samudio and Pumas' Josecarlos Van Rankin, who was benched after a poor first-leg showing but could return, among those who had to miss the regular-season matchup but are ready to go for the playoff series.

Attacking stars generally draw more attention than their defensive counterparts, and they'll certainly play a role in deciding which Mexico City team goes through to the Liga MX final. But the team that stays true to its balanced approach and sees its attackers and defenders put in the best performance will be the team that emerges victorious.