Neymar Decides as Santos Fc Beats Vasco 2-1 at Vila Belmiro
At Vila Belmiro on Thursday evening, santos fc secured its first win in the Campeonato Brasileiro, a 2-1 victory over Vasco that matters both for the league table and for Neymar’s immediate ambitions. The performance ended a run of pressure on Santos and left Vasco still searching for points and a permanent coach.
Match time, venue and broadcast
The match kicked off at 19h (Brasília) in the fourth round of the Campeonato Brasileiro and was shown on Sportv and Premiere. The appointed centre referee was Rafael Rodrigo Klein, assisted by Rafael da Silva Alves and Maira Mastella Moreira, with Iudiney Cesar Rocha E Silva as fourth official and Rodrigo D'Alonso Ferreira operating VAR.
Pre-match pressure on Vojvoda and Vasco’s coaching change
Santos arrived under pressure after elimination from the Campeonato Paulista by Novorizontino in the quarterfinals and with a single point from its opening three league games; a poor result could have prompted changes to Juan Pablo Vojvoda’s command. Vasco entered the match in still greater turmoil: the club dismissed Fernando Diniz following a loss to Fluminense in the first leg of the Carioca semifinal, and Bruno Lazaroni assumed the role of interim coach.
Vojvoda’s squad, lineups and absences
Vojvoda took the field with his full squad available and the coach’s stated tendency was to start the attacking pair Neymar and Gabriel Barbosa. The probable Santos lineup listed before kick-off included Gabriel Brazão in goal; Igor Vinicius, Adonis Frías, Luan Peres and Escobar in defence; Willian Arão, Gabriel Menino and Gabriel Bontempo (Miguelito) in midfield; Neymar, Rony and Gabriel Barbosa up front. Vasco’s preparations featured the possibility of Marino Hinestroza testing as a starter under Lazaroni, but Cuesta and Jair were confirmed unavailable due to medical issues.
Neymar’s two goals and match incidents
The game’s defining moments came from Neymar. At 25 minutes of the first half he was released on a quick Santos attack and finished clinically for 1-0. Two minutes later Neymar and Thiago Mendes were involved in a heated exchange — including a simulation by Neymar claiming a head contact — that saw both players booked; the pair have a longstanding bad relationship dating back to 2020 when they were at PSG and Lyon respectively. At 42 minutes Andrés Gómez escaped on the left and crossed for Barros to equalize, making it 1-1 at the interval.
The second half began with renewed physicality between Neymar and Thiago Mendes. After a period of shared positional errors and missed chances, a defensive lapse by Vasco produced Neymar’s decisive second goal at 15 minutes of the second half, finished by a chip over the goalkeeper. That strike was the 151st of Neymar’s career with the club, elevating him to the tenth spot on Santos’s all-time scoring list alongside Tite, who played in the 1930s and 1940s. Neymar also marked the occasion with a provocative celebration and a dance; the match saw further confrontational moments described broadly as a treta.
Vasco’s reaction, substitutions and final outcome
Trailing and playing under heavy rain, Vasco sought an aggressive response. At 25 minutes of the second half Bruno Lazaroni substituted three players at once, bringing on Cuiabano, Marino Hinestroza and Brenner, but the changes failed to overturn the deficit. Léo Jardim was tested early — Brazão had produced a significant save on Nuno Moreira at nine minutes — and while Vasco created phases of pressure the team could not convert them into a second equalizer. The match ended 2-1 in favor of Santos, which rose to four points and climbed seven places to 13th in the table after four rounds; Vasco remained on one point in last place.
What makes this notable is the timing: a first league victory for Santos immediately after a state-cup elimination and amid speculation about the coach’s future, and a personal showcase for Neymar ahead of a national-team selection window in March that he hopes will attract the attention of coach Carlo Ancelotti. Santos held on defensively in the closing stages and left Vila Belmiro with three points, while Vasco continues to navigate instability and the search for a permanent manager.
Match officials, the full named refereeing team and the broadcast platforms were implemented as scheduled. Pre-match expectations — including the possibility of Marino Hinestroza being tested as a starter and the projected Santos lineup — and in-game developments such as substitutions, bookings, the sequence of goals and Neymar’s 151st Santos goal are all part of the official record of the encounter.
