Alexia Putellas Shines in London City Lionesses' Opening Victory

Alexia Putellas needed barely 90 minutes to show England what all the fuss is about.

The two-time Ballon d'Or winner, armband on and eyes fixed, steered London City Lionesses to a 2-1 win over United at the Copperjax Community Stadium, opening their 2026-27 Women's Super League campaign with a performance far more dominant than the scoreline admits. Owner Michelle Kang watched on, visibly delighted, as her marquee signing took control of her new stage.

Putellas leads, Lionesses pounce

This was not a nervy first step into a new league. London City played like a side already sure of themselves, snapping into challenges, circulating the ball with purpose and pinning United back for long stretches.

The breakthrough came with a slice of fortune but owed plenty to pressure. A driven attack forced confusion in the United box and Julia Zigiotti Olme turned the ball into her own net, gifting the hosts a lead their intensity deserved.

United never really shook off their early lethargy. Passes went astray, runners were missed, and London City sensed weakness. The tempo stayed high, the tackles stayed sharp. Putellas, operating with her usual calm in midfield, dictated where and how the game was played, constantly offering angles, constantly talking.

The pressure finally told again after the interval. Danielle van de Donk, alive to the slightest gap, produced a deft second-half flick to double the advantage and effectively kill the contest as a contest. At 2-0, London City were cruising; United were hanging on.

Only in stoppage time did the visitors register a shot on target, a damning statistic on a difficult afternoon. Simi Awujo’s late strike in the 97th minute trimmed the deficit but changed nothing about the balance of the game. It was consolation, not lifeline.

A star still adjusting

For all the control, Putellas was in no mood to pretend she has already mastered her new surroundings. She cut a satisfied but hungry figure afterwards, pleased with the result, clear that this is only the beginning.

"We are so happy," she told BBC. "We had a strong beginning so [we're] really, really happy. I'm still learning, it's the first game. It's a physical league. I'm the player who thinks the ball always moves faster than the legs so we're going to try to improve that kind of thing.

"It's the first game, we have to bring more improvement of course. We are going to give better and better football to our crowd. Very happy to start with three points and we keep moving."

The message was simple: standards are high, and this is just the baseline.

Maestre’s new-look side clicks

On the touchline, Eder Maestre had every reason to be satisfied. He handed out four debuts and still watched his team play with a cohesion that suggested a group far deeper into its journey.

Mary Earps, the headline summer signing in goal, stayed on the bench as she continues to build fitness after pre-season. Elene Lete stepped in without fuss, her assured display another quiet victory for Maestre’s planning.

The coach reserved particular praise for his new captain, stressing that Putellas’ influence stretches well beyond her touches on the ball.

"Alexia knows all the things that can bring to others - because it's not only the thing that she's capable of doing on the field, it's all the things that can help us," Maestre said.

"Having this kind of player in the squad is very important because she represents the high standards and having her involved in the project [is important, because of] her performance and the leadership she can bring in terms of helping us to reach the standard [we want].

"The biggest impact is the way we played as a team, having everybody connected very well. The chemistry we are building around the players is the most important thing today."

That chemistry was evident: from back to front, players moved in sync, covering space, rotating positions, and smothering United’s attempts to build any rhythm.

One game in, London City have three points, a statement performance, and a global superstar already setting the tone. If this is them still “learning”, what happens when they hit full stride?