We prove, when $S$ is a $2$-group of order at most $2^9$, that each reduced fusion system over $S$ is the fusion system of a finite simple group and is tame. It then follows that each saturated fusion system over a $2$-group of order at most $2^9$ is realizable. What is most interesting about this result is the method of proof: we show that among $2$-groups with order in this range, the ones which can be Sylow $2$-subgroups of finite simple groups are almost completely determined by criteria based on Bender's classification of groups with strongly $2$-embedded subgroups.