Tottenham came into Sunday unbeaten and one win from the top of the Women's Super League. They left having conceded six. London City Lionesses won 6-1 at the BetWright Stadium, with Alexia Putellas and Kadidiatou Diani scoring twice each, and the newcomers with the big-money squad look like genuine title contenders.
Putellas needs three minutes
Grace Geyoro's shot was parried by Lize Kop in the Spurs goal, and Putellas was there to fire in the rebound with her left foot. That was three minutes in. It was her second WSL goal for the club after scoring in last week's 2-0 win over Brighton, and the two-time Women's Ballon d'Or winner was only getting started.
Diani made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute, finishing a neat move that involved Freya Godfrey and Lucia Corrales. It was her first WSL goal since arriving from Lyon. Putellas then added the third in the 34th minute, sending a shot into the roof of the net after Danielle van de Donk did well to reach the byline and pull the ball back.
Spurs briefly wobble back, then collapse
Tottenham nearly pulled one back before the break. Julie Blakstad hit a free-kick from 25 yards that Elene Lete pushed onto the crossbar. London City took the fourth in the 52nd minute, when Van de Donk converted a low Diani cross at the near post. Spurs responded a minute later. Victoria Pelova, the summer signing from Arsenal, controlled a Blakstad cross and finished, her fifth WSL goal of the season.
The home side never looked like building on it. Kop's clearance was charged down by Diani, who walked the ball into an empty net for her second in the 74th minute, and substitute Delphine Cascarino finished the scoring four minutes into stoppage time. She ran at the defence, dropped in a stepover and shot past Kop for a fine individual goal.
Title talk, and a reality check
This was London City's fourth win in five league games. They finished sixth last season but spent heavily in the summer, bringing in Putellas and defender Mapi Leon from Barcelona and Diani from Lyon. Head coach Eder Maestre said the win showed the rest of the league that his side were pushing hard, though he added that the established teams at the top were still there. The Lionesses now wait two weeks for their next game because of the international break.
For Tottenham it was a hard lesson. Head coach Martin Ho said his players looked scared on the ball, were beaten in first and second balls and in duels, and took responsibility himself. Spurs had won three and drawn one before this, so one bad day does not undo the start, but the manner of it will sting.
Match facts: Tottenham Hotspur 1-6 London City Lionesses, Women's Super League, BetWright Stadium, Sunday 4 October 2026. London City: Putellas (3rd minute), Diani (22nd), Putellas (34th), Van de Donk (52nd), Diani (74th), Cascarino (90+4). Tottenham: Pelova (53rd).
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