SANTOS: Santos continued their impressive recovery in the Brazilian Serie A with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Cruzeiro at the Vila Belmiro.
The home side dominated much of the first half and established a two-goal advantage before the break.
Santos opened the scoring in the 27th minute through Benjamín Rollheiser. The midfielder reacted quickly to a loose ball around the edge of the penalty area and produced a precise finish into the corner of the net.
Santos doubled their advantage shortly afterwards when Fabrício Bruno put the ball into his own net, giving the hosts a 2-0 lead.
Cruzeiro struggled to create clear opportunities during much of the opening half, while Santos continued to threaten at the other end. The home side had chances to extend the lead after the interval, but Cruzeiro goalkeeper Otávio made important saves to keep his team in the contest.
Cruzeiro eventually found a way back into the match late on. Matheus Pereira scored in the closing stages to reduce the deficit to 2-1 and give the visitors hope of salvaging a point.
Santos, however, held firm during the final minutes and secured another important league victory.
The result gives Santos 35 points after 27 matches and represents their third consecutive win in the Brazilian top flight. Their recent run includes victories over Corinthians and Internacional, strengthening their position as they attempt to move further away from the relegation battle.
The victory was particularly notable because Neymar was unavailable due to injury. Despite the absence of their star No. 10, Santos produced an energetic attacking display and showed that they can compete effectively without relying entirely on the Brazilian superstar.
Neymar watched the match from the stands alongside Gabigol and Philippe Coutinho. Coutinho’s arrival at Santos has also attracted considerable attention, with Neymar announcing the midfielder’s move on social media before the club’s official confirmation.
Santos now turn their attention to their Copa Sudamericana campaign. They enter the next stage with a 2-0 first-leg advantage over Atlético Mineiro, putting them in a strong position to reach the semi-finals.
