Alexia Putellas Shines in London City Lionesses' Victory
Alexia Putellas needed just one night to announce herself to English football.
The two-time Ballon d'Or winner captained London City Lionesses to a 2-1 victory over United at the Copperjax Community Stadium, opening their 2026-27 Women's Super League campaign with a performance that felt far more dominant than the scoreline.
Owner Michelle Kang watched on from the stands as her new marquee signing steered a side that looked sharper, quicker and far more cohesive than their visitors.
Lionesses in control from the start
The pressure told early. London City pinned United back, moved the ball with purpose and forced mistakes. One of them proved costly.
Julia Zigiotti Olme turned into her own net to give the hosts a deserved lead, the breakthrough underlining just how much control Eder Maestre’s team already held over the contest. United, laboured and flat, struggled to build any rhythm.
After the break, the Lionesses tightened their grip. Danielle van de Donk, buzzing between the lines all evening, produced a deft second-half flick to double the advantage and effectively kill the game as a contest. At that stage, United looked beaten in everything but name.
Their first shot on target did not arrive until the 97th minute, when Simi Awujo finally pulled one back. By then, it was a consolation and nothing more. The late goal trimmed the deficit, not the gulf in performance.
Putellas steady on debut, hungry for more
Putellas did not need a goal to leave her mark. She dictated tempo, demanded the ball and set standards, even as she admitted she is still coming to terms with the physical edge of the WSL.
"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 the performance: controlled, ambitious, with the clear message that this is only the starting point.
Maestre hails chemistry and leadership
This was a night of firsts for London City. Maestre handed out four debuts and still saw his side play with the assurance of a group that has been together far longer.
Star goalkeeper Mary Earps watched from the bench, still short after pre-season fitness issues, but Elene Lete stepped in without fuss and kept United at arm’s length until stoppage time.
Maestre reserved special praise for his new captain, stressing that Putellas’ impact stretches well beyond her passing range.
"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 a night that belonged to a global superstar, Maestre kept dragging the focus back to the collective. The message was clear: London City Lionesses are not building a one-woman show. They are building a team that expects to live at the top of this league.
