Aoba Fujino scored late in the second half at Brisbane Road to secure Manchester City a 2-1 Women’s Super League victory over Tottenham.

Vivianne Miedema nodded the visitors in front in the 11th minute against the run of play before Bethany England equalised just after the half-hour mark.

City were re-energised by a triple change midway through the second half and earned the win in the 78th minute when Japan forward Fujino cut inside and lashed a left-footed shot high into the net for her first WSL goal.

The hosts started brightly and created a number of decent chances in the opening 10 minutes, with Eveliina Summanen and England directing efforts towards the City goal.

Ella Morris went even closer when the visitors could only half-clear a cross, firing just wide of the top left corner.

City had scarcely ventured into Spurs’ half before Miedema opened the scoring, the former Arsenal striker looping her header over the leaping Lize Kop from Fujino’s cross.

Martha Thomas then tested visiting keeper Ayaka Yamashita with a cross-shot from the right and City striker Khadija Shaw directed a header off-target.

Thomas was forced off and replaced by on the half-hour by Olivia Holdt, who picked up an assist two minutes later.

The Denmark international dispossessed Laia Aleixandri, wearing the City captain’s armband, then teed up England, who swept a lovely finish into the top corner.

The sides remained level at the break despite Tottenham going close in a stoppage-time scramble.

Yamashita had come off her line, but Miedema reacted quickly to nod away England’s close-range header, and the Spurs skipper could only poke over from the rebound.

There was a pause almost immediately after kick-off in the second half to treat England and Yamashita after a clash of heads, but both were deemed fit to continue.

Matilda Vinberg should have fired Tottenham in front but fired wide when through on goal just before the hour.

Spurs then breathed a sigh of relief when Ashleigh Neville prevented Miedema from nodding in a second. The Netherlands striker had Kop beaten but the Spurs full-back cleared off the line, via the underside of the crossbar.

It felt like a goal was imminent and it finally arrived from Fujino following a throw-in, the 21-year-old latching onto a neat ball from fellow Japan international Yui Hasegawa, cutting inside onto her left foot and unleashing a shot that seemingly flew through Kop’s fingertips.

The visitors hand a handful of chances to extend their advantage but were indebted to Yamashita for preserving their lead in stoppage time, the City keeper stooping to smother England’s effort from point-blank range.

The result kept City five points adrift of second-placed Manchester United, while Spurs slipped to seventh in the table.