RB Leipzig downs Benfica in comfortable win
RB Leipzig claimed a deserved 2-0 win in its Emirates Cup finale with Portuguese champion Benfica.
Marcel Halstenberg and Marvin Compper were on target for RB Leipzig as it rounded off its Emirates Cup campaign with a deserved 2-0 win over Benfica on Monday (AEST).
Both teams lost their opening games at Emirates Stadium on Sunday (AEST), Leipzig defeated 1-0 by Sevilla while Benfica was beaten 5-2 by host Arsenal.
Arsenal and Sevilla's game decided the winner of the pre-season tournament, the Gunners taking the title despite losing to the LaLiga side, but not by enough to surrender its crown.
Leipzig boss Ralph Hasenhuttl would have been pleased with his side's performance in a game it dominated for long periods.
Leipzig, which finished second in its first Bundesliga season last campaign, took the lead after 19 minutes as Halstenberg rifled in at the near post after a neat one-two with Federico Palacios Martinez.
Oliver Burke was twice denied at the near post by Bruno Varela as Leipzig pushed for a second, which arrived eight minutes into the second half when Compper steered Dominik Kaiser's excellent free-kick delivery in off the post with a fine header.
Portuguese champion Benfica thought it had pulled one back when Kostas Mitroglou bundled in after Yvon Mvogo had mishandled Jonas's long-range effort, only for the goal to be chalked off for offside, with the Greek striker then worryingly limping off.