Immediate reaction: México 1, Nigeria 0
The Pedro López era gets off to a good start, and gives me hope.
This isn’t going to be an in-depth recap of the match. Rather, these are the thoughts that went pinging around my head about the first match.
Did the Revelations Cup need a mascot? No. Am I glad it chose a purple, semi-realistic dinosaur? Absolutely.
México’s decision to start Miah Zuazua at left back and Anika Rodríguez at right back was interesting to say the least. Both players are usually used as forwards for their clubs, and while they’re good defensive forwards, seeing them being used as wing backs shows coach Pedro López is both offensively focused and willing to experiment, neither of which are bad things.
To their credit, Zuazua and Rodríguez both played well. Zuazua narrowly missed putting a header on frame in the first half and Rodríguez forced Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to make a fantastic save.
Nigeria looked good, dominating the first half hour of the match. They took advantage of Zuazua and Rodríguez relative inexperience in their positions, pressing them early whenever they got the ball. They were without Asisat Oshoala, who reportedly picked up a minor injury before the match.
Scarlett Camberos had a fantastic game. She was up and down the pitch, and in the 79th minute hit center back Ashleigh Plumptre in the arm after she slipped in the box - a clear penalty but one the referee could not see. She was more than Nigeria could handle for most of her 80 minute shift despite having to deal with her social media accounts being hacked yesterday.
“Súper” Kiana Palacios rescued the match for México in the 80th minute, getting a scoop pass from Jackie Ovalle from the end line and knocking it in off of the turf. Ovalle had missed a wide open opportunity earlier, but if she and Palacios can get on the same page that could be a deadly partnership.
