Decisive figure tilts Benfica's night with set-piece punch | OneFootball

Leandro Martins broke through in the 16th minute with a glancing header from a corner, setting Benfica on course for a 2-0 win at Rio Ave.

Timing his near-post run, Martins attacked Georgiy Sudakov's inswinging delivery to guide the ball beyond Cezary Miszta. The midfielder's movement from deep gave Benfica a reliable outlet at dead balls and shifted control their way.

He stayed busy in aerial situations, drawing a strong defensive clearance with another goal-bound header (37.). From there he kept finding pockets between the lines to link play as the Águias kept Rio Ave pinned back.

Martins finished with three attempts, two on target, plus 58 passes at high accuracy and three tackles won, underlining how he combined set-piece threat with secure build-up. His work rate without the ball helped the Encarnados manage territory after the opener.

Because Benfica's wide supply and corner routines consistently isolated him at the near post, his late arrivals into the box unsettled Rio Ave's marking and let Benfica control the key phases.

Next up, Benfica visit Juventus in the Champions League. Rio Ave travel to Nacional in the league.

How high would you rate Martins' display tonight?