Santos FC produced one of their strongest performances of the season, defeating Atlético Mineiro 2–0 in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana quarter-final at Vila Belmiro on September 9, 2026. Willian Arão and Christian Oliva scored the goals that gave Santos a valuable advantage ahead of the second leg.
The major talking point before the match was the absence of Neymar, who missed the game because of injury. The Santos No.10 watched the match from the stands rather than featuring on the pitch.
Willian Arão breaks the deadlock
Santos started aggressively and created several opportunities in the opening stages.
The breakthrough came in the 30th minute. Gustavo Henrique delivered the ball towards Gabriel Barbosa, who helped set up Willian Arão. The midfielder arrived at the right moment and finished the move to give Santos a 1–0 lead.
Atlético-MG attempted to respond, but Santos continued to create chances and entered the second half with control of the game.
Oliva doubles Santos’ advantage
Santos eventually doubled their lead in the 67th minute.
Gabriel Barbosa found Christian Oliva, who produced a precise finish into the corner to make it 2–0. Atlético-MG goalkeeper Gabriel Delfim had no chance to stop the effort.
The result gave Santos a significant advantage in the two-legged tie.
Neymar remains sidelined
Neymar’s absence was noticeable, but Santos managed to deliver an impressive performance without their star player.
The Brazilian forward is currently dealing with an injury and watched the match from the stands. His presence nevertheless attracted plenty of attention, including an exchange with Atlético-MG supporters during the match.
Second leg
The second leg will be played on September 16, 2026, at Arena MRV in Belo Horizonte.
Santos can reach the semi-finals even if they lose the second leg by a single goal, thanks to their 2–0 victory in the opening match.
The victory also continues Santos’ impressive recent run. They had beaten Internacional 3–2 away from home in their previous Brasileirão match, with Gabriel Barbosa scoring twice and Christian Oliva also finding the net.
