Neymar inspired Santos to a crucial 3-0 victory over Vasco da Gama on Sunday, with three goals in the final 20 minutes lifting the São Paulo club out of the Brazilian Championship relegation zone.
Santos broke the deadlock in the 68th minute through Gabriel Barbosa before Willian Arão and Luan Peres struck in a devastating 13-minute spell at São Januário.
Neymar played the full 90 minutes and played a direct role in two of the goals as Santos finally turned their pressure into a commanding victory.
The 33-year-old provided the cross for Arão’s goal in the 77th minute. Vasco goalkeeper Léo Jardim failed to deal with the delivery and Arão capitalised.
Four minutes later, Neymar produced another decisive moment. His powerful free-kick forced Jardim into another poor save, with Luan Peres reacting quickest to the rebound and completing the rout.
The victory also offered another encouraging sign for Neymar, who has endured repeated fitness problems since returning to Brazilian football.
He looked sharp throughout the match and remained on the pitch for the entire contest, giving Santos a much-needed boost at a crucial stage of their campaign.
Neymar also found himself at the centre of an unusual incident involving a new Brasileirão rule.
Santos goalkeeper Gabriel Brazão received medical treatment during the match. The referee judged the stoppage as an attempt to waste time and punished Neymar because he wore the captain’s armband, ordering him off the pitch for one minute.
Santos entered the match under pressure after collecting 25 points from 22 games. The win moved them out of the relegation places, although their exact position remained dependent on other results from the round.
The result caps a promising spell for a club still dealing with a serious financial crisis.
Santos have also reached the Copa do Brasil quarter-finals and taken a first-leg advantage against Ecuador’s Macará in the Copa Sudamericana round of 16.
They now travel to Ecuador on Thursday seeking to complete the job and reach the next round.
For Santos, the three-goal burst against Vasco offered another sign that their season may finally be turning. Neymar’s fitness and influence could prove central to that fight.
