Leeds United 2 (Calvert-Lewin 7’, Nmecha 109’)
RB Leipzig 0
Leeds first half XI: Cairns (GK), Bogle, Ampadu (C), Muharemović, Rodon, James, Longstaff, Calvert-Lewin, Wilson, Justin, Bornauw.
Leeds second half XI: Cairns (GK), Bogle (Gnonto 90’), Muharemović (Cresswell 90’), Aaronson, Nmecha, Bijol (C), Wilson (Mills 75’), Stach, Tanaka, Justin (Chadwick 90’), Lienou.
Venue: Elland Road | Attendance: 24,630 | Referee: Craig Pawson
Leeds United continued their impressive pre-season campaign with a commanding 2-0 victory over RB Leipzig at Elland Road.
Strikers Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha were on target for Daniel Farke’s side as they faced last term’s third-placed Bundesliga outfit, in an encounter played over 120 minutes aimed at giving as many minutes as possible to the squad.
Play got underway in glorious sunshine with the Whites, debuting their new home kit for the first time in West Yorkshire, launching an incisive move down the left flank and winning a corner through Daniel James.
Sean Longstaff whipped the resulting set piece in and the ball was eventually bundled home after a scramble on the goal line, only for referee Craig Pawson to disallow the effort for an alleged foul in the build-up.
Within moments, another blistering break saw Joe Rodon racing down the right flank and crossing an inviting ball into the path of our number nine who made no mistake, firing home from close range!
The defender was again involved charging up the field moments later. The Whites eventually worked play to James Justin inside the area who forced a necessary low save by Maarten Vandevoordt in the Germans’ net.
Approaching the half-hour mark, Longstaff threaded an inch-perfect pass through for James to latch onto. Looking to catch the Leipzig keeper out at the near post, the Wales international dragged narrowly wide of the upright.
Alex Cairns was first called into action as he got down well to parry a drive from distance with United’s defence reacting to then clear their lines. The stopper was also equal to a rasping Andrija Maksimovic half-volley.
Looking for a second of the afternoon, and a fourth in two matches, Calvert-Lewin rose highest to meet a floated Longstaff delivery and powered a header goalwards, forcing Vandevoordt into an important save scampering across his line.
The lead was very nearly doubled when summer signing Tarik Muharemović sprayed a glorious ball over the top for Justin to dart after. The full-back collected possession and cut a pass into the path of the onrushing Harry Wilson who guided a first-time effort agonisingly past the post.
HALF TIME: Leeds United 1-0 RB Leipzig
Play got back underway at Elland Road with Farke making five changes to the side. In came midfielders Ao Tanaka and Anton Stach, while defenders Jaka Bijol and Jayden Lienou entered proceedings alongside forward Nmecha.
The second hour’s play was slower in bursting into life, understandably given the several changes in personnel for both teams, and saw United enjoying sustained spells of possession in the middle of the park.
Wilson tried his best to be the creative spark, however, reacting quickly to a loose ball on the edge of the Leizpig penalty area though his left-footed strike was charged down well by a red shirt.
Next it was substitute Aaronson to dart in behind the RB backline but from an increasingly narrowing angle, and under pressure from a retreating defender, he dragged a low shot wide of the far post.
With Leeds firmly in the hunt for a second of the afternoon, the American showed a fine burst of pace to wriggle free down the right. He crossed into the path of Justin who would have had the simplest of tasks if not for the intervention of Vandevoordt to gather.
Further changes came in the form of Italian international Willy Gnonto and Academy duo Alfie Cresswell and Rhys Chadwick, as the boss once more refreshed his ranks.
The latter was immediately involved, fizzing an arrowed delivery across the face of goal which Mills, under pressure in the middle, was unable to guide on target in front of the Revie Stand.
With 20 minutes of the encounter remaining, a threaded Gnonto pass released Aaronson down the right. The American squared the ball for Nmecha but, at full-stretch, the ball eluded the centre-forward.
While the previous chance may have just gotten away from the attacker, there was to be no mistake next time around. It was Gnonto once more impressive down the right, scampering to the byline and cutting it back for the striker who showed his killer instincts from close range!
There were opportunities at both ends as the clock ticked down, including a desperately unlucky Cresswell header that cannoned off the crossbar, before Pawson brought an exciting second hour’s action to a close.
The Whites are back in pre-season action on Wednesday evening, facing rivals Manchester United at Dublin’s iconic Croke Park.
FULL TIME: Leeds United 2-0 RB Leipzig
