Angel City FC fell 2–0 to Mexico tonight in the inaugural Copa Angelina after a goal by Scarlett Camberos and an own goal by Angel City.
Mexico had the first chance of the game in the fifth minute when forward María Sánchez dribbled up the left wing, took a touch to cut inside past defender Jasmyne Spencer, and took a shot from 15 yards. Her shot went directly to keeper Brittany Isenhour, who caught it easily.
Much of the first half was a back-and-forth midfield battle, with neither team controlling the game for long stretches. Angel City had a few almost-chances through forward Hope Breslin early on, but the Mexico defense stayed organized.
El Tri Femenil had another chance in the 24th minute. Midfielder Scarlett Camberos picked up a pass from forward Carolina Jaramillo, dribbled into the box, and found a through ball to forward Adriana Iturbide, whose shot went straight to Isenhour.
In the 40th minute, Angel City came close when Breslin, making a run into the six-yard-box, jumped and got her head on a corner kick by forward Miri Taylor. She aimed the ball to the far post and put it on frame, but keeper Itzel González dove to block it out over the endline.
Mexico came out swinging in the second half with a chance in the 49th minute. Jaramillo combined with Camberos to find space at the top of the 18 and sent a looping shot over the heads of the Angel City defense and on target, but Isenhour dove and blocked the ball for a corner kick.
As the half went on, the game began to get stretched, but the visitors continued to knock, finally breaking through in the 72nd minute. A free kick intended for defender Greta Espinoza fell to Isenhour’s feet as she stepped forward to claim the ball, which instead bounced off her knee, into defender Megan Reid, and into the goal.
It wasn’t long before Mexico doubled their lead. Midfielder Jacqueline Ovalle drove up the left wing to the endline and cut the ball back toward the middle of the box for Camberos, who cleanly sent the ball past Isenhour inside the near post.
It was the first international goal for Camberos, a San Diego native who attended UC Irvine.
Mexico defended well to close out the match and win the first-ever Copa Angelina 2–0. With support in the stadium almost evenly split between two games, Mexico accepted the freshly engraved Copa Angelina trophy, which they will keep until next year’s iteration of the match.
Tonight also marked the first-ever appearance for Angel City defender M.A. Vignola.
Angel City plays next on the road against the Houston Dash on Sunday, September 11 at 4:00 p.m. PST.