Santos just dropped a bomb on Corinthians, beating them 1-0 at Neo Química Arena in the 25th round of the 2026 Brasileirão. Get this: it was their first-ever win against Timão in Itaquera in a national league match. Before Sunday, Santos had only managed five draws and six losses there. That streak is **gone**, marking a monumental shift in a heated rivalry that Peixe fans have dreamt about for years.
The Scrappy Start and Timão’s Empty Chances
From the opening whistle, this derby was an absolute grind. It started scrappy, physical, with Corinthians firing off more shots, trying to leverage their home advantage. But man, Timão’s forwards just couldn’t find their ‘shooting boots’ all night. Gabriel Brazão, in goal for Santos, was hardly troubled, which tells you everything about the quality of those attempts. The home side’s best chance in that whole first half came from Matheus Bidu, a shot that zipped just wide of the post. Watching your team dominate possession and opportunities, yet failing to find the net, had to be incredibly frustrating for the Timão faithful.
Neymar’s Brilliance Sets Up History for Oliva
But while Corinthians stumbled, Santos had their talisman stepping up. Neymar, wearing that iconic No. 10 shirt, was everywhere, taking responsibility and dictating tempo. He threaded a pass to Gabriel Barbosa who even dribbled past Hugo Souza for what looked like the opener, but the flag went up for offside. Heartbreak! Moments later, though, Neymar launched a free kick that slammed off the post. That’s when Oliva, who’d just come on for an injured Gustavinho, pounced on the rebound and buried it, putting Santos ahead 1-0. Pure opportunism, writing history in the process. Corinthians tried to respond after the break, but their attacking threat completely fizzled. Dieguinho got a crack at an equalizer from a Memphis Depay corner, but Brazão saved it comfortably. The air just went out of the Neo Química Arena.
What’s Next on a Rollercoaster Week
This massive, historic win bumped Santos up to 29 points, landing them in 14th place in the Brasileirão table. Corinthians, meanwhile, are holding onto 10th place with 32 points, but this gut-wrenching home loss has to sting, especially against their bitter rivals. They get a little time to regroup, not playing again until next Sunday, September 6, when they host Chapecoense at NQA for round 26. Santos, however, faces a wild week. They’re back in action on Wednesday, September 2, facing Palmeiras at Vila Belmiro in the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals. They’re down 3-0 from the first leg, so they’ve got a monumental task ahead. Then it’s back to Brasileirão action next Sunday, September 6, visiting Internacional at Beira-Rio. Santos proved they can make history, but can they keep that momentum rolling through this brutal schedule? We’re about to find out if they can pull off another shocker.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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