Arsenal vs Benfica live: Gunners fire five past Portuguese side in emphatic Emirates Cup victory

Follow the latest from this year's tournament at the Emirates Stadium

Olivier Giroud celebrates after scoring for Arsenal against Benfica (Getty)

Arsenal continued their pre-season preparations on Saturday as they began their ninth Emirates Cup campaign with an impressive 5-2 victory over Benfica on day one of the two-day tournmant. Re-live the action here.

• Arsenal thrash Benfica 5-2
• Theo Walcott scores twice in the first half
• Olivier Giroud and Alex Iwobi also on target for the Gunners
• Lisandro completes Arsenal scoring with unfortunate own goal
• Benfica reply comes from Cervi and Salvio but Portuguese easily beaten
• Sevilla beat RB Leipzig earlier in the day

Follow the match live below...

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Preview...

When is it?

The two-day competition will take place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 July.

Where can I watch it?

All the games will be shown for free on Quest TV which available on Freeview channel 37, channel 144 for Sky customers and 172 for those on Virign.

Who is playing?

All times are BST

Saturday

RB Leipzig vs Sevilla, 2.00pm

Arsenal vs Benfica 4.20pm

Sunday

RB Leipzig vs Benfica, 2.00pm

Arsenal vs Sevilla, 4.20pm

How does the tournament work?

Teams are given the usual three points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss, the team with the highest number of points wins.

The Emirates Cup also rewards attacking play and teams are awarded an additional point for each goal scored. If teams are level on points goal difference and the number of the shots on target are used to decide places.

Teams

Arsenal

Arsenal have travelled the furthest of any Premier League team in pre-season during, with tours of Sydney and China racking up the miles. Arsenal fans will get a first look at £52million signing Alexandre Lacazette at the Emirates where they are expected to field a mixture of first team and youth players.

Arsene Wenger has been experimenting with using three at the back during pre-season with mixed results, Arsenal were humbled by Chelsea who made them look very ordinary while they drew 1-1 with Bayern Munich and won on penalties.

RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig’s pre-season has been dominated by Liverpool’s pursuit of Naby Keita. The Reds have had two offers rejected for the defensive midfielder but he remains their number one target in the summer transfer window.

Leipzig was founded in 2009 and shot to fame last season when they finished second in their first season in the Bundesliga. The club, heavily backed by sponsors Red Bull, received lots of criticism in Germany and is accused of being a marketing tool for the drinks company.

Benfica

Benfica played in the Emirates Cup in 2014 and lost 5-1 to Arsenal and 3-1 to Valencia. The Portuguese champions have received around £100million in transfer fees this summer with Ederson and Victor Lindelof departing for Manchester City and Manchester United.

Sevilla

Former Manchester City winger Noltio, who moved back to Spain after complaining about the weather, could feature for Sevilla who are preparing for life under new manager Eduardo Berizzo after Jorge Sampaoli left to manage Argentina.

[29 July 2017 15:23 · Jack Watson]

Team News

Arsenal fans will have to wait to see Alexandre Lacazette but Sead Kolasinac gets his first start at the Emirates. 

[29 July 2017 15:36 · Jack Watson]

We're still waiting for Benfica's line-up. They have lost Ederson and Lindelof to the two Manchester clubs this transfer window.

[29 July 2017 16:30 · Jack Watson]

7' Arsenal 0 - 0 Benfica

Arsenal have started the better side but are are yet to build on Giroud's early chance. The Emirates is starting to fill up now.

[29 July 2017 16:46 · Jack Watson]

Goal!

23' Arsenal 1 - 1 Benfica

Kolasinac's tenacious play on the left is rewarded as he regains the ball by the goal line and clips a cross to Walcott who waits on the penalty spot and smashes a shot in with a nice finish.

[29 July 2017 16:56 · Jack Watson]

Goal!

32' Arsenal 2 - 1 Benfica

Arsenal slice through Benfica with some neat one-touch football to find Coquelin on the left who squares it to Walcott who has the simplest of finishes to score in an open net. 

After the goal Coquelin is replaced by Elneny

[29 July 2017 16:58 · Jack Watson]

35' Arsenal 2 -1 Benfica

Holding is dispossessed and Benfica swarm the box to work the ball to Pizzi who blasts a shot straigh at Ospina.

[29 July 2017 17:28 · Jack Watson]

47' Arsenal 2 - 2 Benfica 

Iwobi and Walcott work the ball up the pitch and the Englishman looks for Giroud with a cross but Cesar tidies up in goal. Benfica break and Seferovic works space for a shot but drags it wide.

[29 July 2017 17:32 · Jack Watson]

Goal!

50' Arsenal 3 -2 Benfica

Benfica clear a cross but Xhaka stabs the ball back into the box towards Walcott who tries to tries to work it to Giroud but Lisando diverts the ball into his own net.