CURITIBA: Santos secured their place in the Round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil with a convincing 2-0 victory over Coritiba at the Couto Pereira Stadium. Following a goalless draw in the first leg, Santos took control of the match early on to eliminate the hosts.
The breakthrough came in the 20th minute when superstar Neymar orchestrated a brilliant move, finding Gabriel Bontempo, who clinical finished into the left corner. Just five minutes later, Santos doubled their lead. Adonis Frías rose highest during a corner kick to head the ball home, silencing the home crowd.
Coritiba struggled to find a response, having a goal disallowed by VAR in the 15th minute for offside. Despite pressure in the second half from Lucas Taverna and Pedro Rocha, the Santos defense, led by goalkeeper Gabriel Brazão, remained rock solid.
With this 2-0 aggregate win, Santos advances to the next stage of the prestigious Brazilian Cup, while Coritiba shifts its focus back to the Brazilian Championship.
