Santos beats Vasco with goals from former Flamengo players, pushing the Rio club deeper into the relegation zone

By:Luzia AiresBrazilian Serie A16/08/2026at 19:25

Former Flamengo players lead Santos to victory, leaving Vasco in the relegation zone

Santos secured an important away win by defeating Vasco 3-0 in the 23rd round of the Brazilian Serie A. The match, held at São Januário, was defined by the decisive performances of former Flamengo players. Gabigol and Willian Arão found the net, with Luan Peres rounding out the scoring. The result worsens the situation for the Rio side, which now sits in second-to-last place in the league table.

The match was heated from the start, with Gabigol being the target of taunts from the Vasco faithful. Despite missing a clear chance in the first half, the striker redeemed himself after the break. In the 68th minute, after receiving a pass from Rollheiser, Gabigol slipped the ball past goalkeeper Léo Jardim to open the scoring. His understated celebration caught spectators by surprise.

Shortly after, in the 77th minute, Neymar struck a powerful free kick that goalkeeper Léo Jardim could only parry; the rebound fell to Willian Arão, who opportunistically scored Santos’ second goal. To seal the win, Luan Peres capitalized on another rebound from the keeper to finalize the 3-0 victory.

Impact on the Brazilian Serie A

With this result, Vasco remains on 22 points and is stuck in 19th place, sitting only above Chapecoense. The battle against relegation is intensifying, with teams like Remo (22 points) and Internacional (23 points) lingering near the danger zone. Conversely, Santos, which started the round in the relegation zone, can breathe a sigh of relief. The Peixe now have 25 points and moved up to 14th place, gaining momentum in their fight to remain in the Brazilian top flight.

The Vasco supporters, who traditionally show unconditional support, left the stadium early in a sign of frustration. Meanwhile, the Santos fans celebrated the win right at São Januário, chanting “olé” and highlighting the crisis currently engulfing the Rio club.

Analysis and Outlook

Pedro Paulo Catonho, a journalist for M360, commented on the result and its impact.

“It’s a tough loss for Vasco, and not just because of the rivalry. In the next round, they face Palmeiras, who are battling Flamengo for the top of the Brazilian Serie A table. So, despite the good relationship between the clubs, the Rio side can’t afford to go into the match unprepared,” he analyzed.

He also highlighted the irony of a Santos triumph featuring goals from former Flamengo players: “It was, at the very least, amusing to see Santos win with two goals from former Flamengo players. Gabigol enjoys ‘hurting’ Vasco, just as he did back in his Mengão days. The only thing missing was Gabriel’s trademark provocation, but it was still a solid performance,” he concluded.

Vasco will face a grueling challenge in the next round against Palmeiras, while Santos will look to maintain their form to distance themselves even further from the relegation zone.

M360 Team