Alexia Putellas and Kadidiatou Diani both scored twice as London City Lionesses produced a stunning attacking display to beat Tottenham Hotspur 6-1 and end Spurs’ unbeaten start to the Women’s Super League season.
Putellas, the two-time Women’s Ballon d’Or winner and four-time Women’s Champions League champion with Barcelona, continued her impressive start to life in England by recording her first WSL brace.
The Spanish midfielder had opened her WSL account in last week’s 2-0 victory over Brighton and needed only three minutes to find the net again against Tottenham at the BetWright Stadium.
The opener came after Grace Geyoro’s effort was saved by Tottenham goalkeeper Lize Kop. Putellas reacted quickest to the rebound and confidently finished with her left foot.
London City’s pressure continued, and Diani doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute. The France international completed a well-constructed attacking move involving Freya Godfrey and Lucia Corrales to score her first WSL goal.
Putellas then added another before half-time. In the 34th minute, Danielle van de Donk reached the byline and pulled the ball back into a dangerous area, allowing Putellas to fire a powerful finish into the roof of the net.
Tottenham came close to reducing the deficit before the interval when Julie Blakstad struck a dangerous free-kick from around 25 yards. However, London City goalkeeper Elene Lete produced an excellent save, tipping the attempt onto the crossbar.
The visitors extended their lead seven minutes after the restart. Van de Donk converted Diani’s low delivery at the near post to make it 4-0.
Tottenham responded almost immediately through Victoria Pelova. The former Arsenal player controlled Blakstad’s cross before producing a composed finish for her fifth WSL goal of the campaign.
Any hopes of a Spurs comeback disappeared soon afterwards. Diani charged down Kop’s attempted clearance and was left with a simple finish into an empty net, restoring London City’s four-goal advantage.
There was still time for a sixth. Substitute Delphine Cascarino completed the rout during stoppage time with an impressive solo effort. She drove towards the Tottenham defence, used a stepover to create shooting room and fired beyond Kop.
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London City Lionesses Send a Strong WSL Title Message
Tottenham had made an encouraging start to the Women’s Super League, collecting three wins and one draw from their first four matches.
Victory would have temporarily taken Spurs to the top of the table, although Manchester City were also scheduled to face Arsenal after the match.
Instead, London City’s emphatic performance underlined their growing credentials as potential title contenders.
The club finished sixth during the 2025-26 campaign but significantly strengthened their squad during the summer. Their major additions included Putellas and defender Mapi León from Barcelona, while Diani arrived from Lyon.
The victory represented London City’s fourth win in their opening five WSL matches, and the manner of the result made an even bigger statement.
Head coach Eder Maestre believes the performance can help establish his side among the teams capable of challenging for major honours.
Maestre acknowledged that the three points were no different from any other league victory, but said a result of this magnitude could demonstrate that London City are serious about competing near the top of the table.
At the same time, the manager stressed that his squad must remain focused and humble, pointing out that the established contenders remain a major challenge.
Maestre also highlighted the importance of developing understanding between a group containing so many high-profile players. Building chemistry takes time, but he believes London City are moving in the right direction.
The international break now gives the Lionesses two weeks without a WSL fixture. Their priority will be maintaining their momentum when domestic action resumes.
Tottenham Face a Major Reality Check
For Tottenham, the heavy defeat was a difficult setback after their positive opening to the season.
Spurs manager Martin Ho admitted that his side struggled badly throughout the match, particularly when attempting to retain possession.
He criticised Tottenham’s performance in individual battles and their inability to win first and second balls, while also accepting responsibility for the result.
The manager insisted that conceding six goals cannot become an acceptable standard for his team and said the players must collectively respond to the disappointment.
Tottenham will now have to use the international break to regroup and address the defensive problems exposed by London’s dominant display.
Alexia Putellas Named Player of the Match
Putellas was the standout performer, receiving an average match rating of 8.96 after scoring twice.
London City Lionesses – Player Ratings
- Alexia Putellas – 8.96
- Kadidiatou Diani – 7.85
- Lucía Corrales – 7.83
- Danielle van de Donk – 7.80
- Delphine Cascarino – 7.77
- Freya Godfrey – 7.63
- Mapi León – 7.58
- Grace Geyoro – 7.42
- J. Thomsen – 7.36
- María Pérez – 7.25
- Jana Fernández – 7.21
- I. Goodwin – 7.08
- Daniela Arques – 7.05
- N. Anyomi – 6.93
- Elene Lete – 6.86
- I. Kardinaal – 6.74
Tottenham Hotspur – Player Ratings
- Victoria Pelova – 4.57
- Julie Blakstad – 4.16
- O. Holdt – 4.16
- S. Gaupset – 4.15
- E. Morris – 4.10
- M. Vinberg – 4.00
- A. Nildén – 3.95
- D. Spence – 3.85
- T. Koga – 3.68
- C. Dijkstra – 3.68
- S. Martinez – 3.68
- Lize Kop – 3.58
- K. Hanson – 3.58
- C. Tandberg – 3.50
London City Lionesses’ six-goal victory sends a clear warning to the rest of the Women’s Super League: with Putellas, Diani, Van de Donk and their other attacking stars finding their rhythm, they could become a serious force in the title race.
