Alexia Putellas Shines in London City Lionesses' WSL Opener
Alexia Putellas did not ease herself into English football. She walked straight through the front door and rearranged the furniture.
The two-time Ballon d'Or winner captained London City Lionesses to a 2-1 victory over United at the Copperjax Community Stadium, launching their 2026-27 Women's Super League campaign with a performance that looked far more one-sided than the scoreline suggested. Owner Michelle Kang watched on from the stands as her marquee summer signing took charge of her new team and her new league.
Lionesses dominate as United labour
The pressure told early. London City, sharper and more aggressive in every duel, forced United into mistakes and never really let them breathe. The breakthrough came via a slice of fortune but owed everything to the home side’s intensity, as Julia Zigiotti Olme turned the ball into her own net under pressure.
From there, the Lionesses controlled the tempo. United, ponderous and off the pace, struggled to stitch together anything coherent. The visitors did not muster a shot on target until the 97th minute, a damning statistic that underlined just how comprehensively they were second-best.
By then, London City were already out of sight. Early in the second half, Danielle van de Donk added the cushion their dominance deserved, glancing in a deft flick to make it 2-0 and send a surge of relief and noise around Copperjax. It felt like the scoreline might swell. It probably should have.
Instead, United clung on. Deep into stoppage time, with the contest effectively decided, Simi Awujo finally tested Elene Lete and snatched a consolation. The goal trimmed the margin but did nothing to change the story: this was London City’s night, and United were fortunate the damage stayed limited to two.
Putellas settles in – and raises the bar
For all the pre-match focus on her arrival, Putellas played like a captain who has been here for years rather than minutes. She knitted moves together, set the rhythm and set the tone, even as she admitted afterwards that she is still learning the demands of the league.
"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."
Her words matched what unfolded on the pitch. This was not a perfect London City display, but it was controlled, coherent and ambitious. Putellas operated as both conductor and compass, constantly demanding angles, options and bravery from those around her.
Maestre’s new-look side clicks early
Manager Eder Maestre had reasons beyond the result to be satisfied. He handed out four debuts and still saw his side play with a cohesion that usually takes weeks, if not months, to build.
Star goalkeeper Mary Earps watched from the bench, still short of full fitness after pre-season, but her absence did not unsettle the back line. Lete stepped in with authority, reading the game cleanly behind a defence that rarely looked rattled.
Maestre was quick to highlight that the impact of his headline signing stretches well beyond the technical.
"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," he 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."
On this evidence, that chemistry is forming quickly. London City looked like a side with a clear idea, a clear leader and a clear ceiling still far above them.
The question now is not whether Putellas can handle the WSL. It is how far she can drag this project, and how soon the rest of the league will feel the full weight of what began at Copperjax.
