Analysis: Santos show progress under Vojvoda, no sign of missing Neymar | OneFootball

By Rodrigo Matuck

Santos secured a crucial victory this Sunday against São Paulo at Vila Belmiro, in the 24th round of the Brazilian Championship. The 1-0 scoreline is more than enough, but it could have been more substantial.

The Peixe entered the field well-prepared, attacking and creating chances to score. The positive start was crucial for getting the fans involved. The stadium was electrified and gave the team an extra boost, which was showing signs of doubt due to a poor phase.

In the first half, however, effectiveness was lacking. There were at least three clear chances, all unsuccessful. Goalkeeper Young shone with difficult saves and managed to keep the score at 0-0.

In the second half, Santos did not enter with the same posture, but it was precisely when São Paulo started to enjoy the game that the hosts managed to score. Rollheiser crossed perfectly and Guilherme headed it in, causing an explosion at Vila.

With the lead, Vojvoda decided to close the team down. The coach took a risk and made defensive substitutions with less than 30 minutes remaining. Packed with midfielders, Peixe managed to hold off São Paulo's attack and end the winless streak.

More than the victory, the performance of the Alvinegro Praiano gives fans a boost. The club's evolution since Vojvoda's arrival is noticeable. The team is more organized and aware of what needs to be done on the field.

Did Neymar's absence matter?

Santos could not count on Neymar in the San-São. And it will be this way for at least a month. The attacking midfielder suffered a muscle injury in his thigh and will miss the upcoming games.

Rollheiser was responsible for setting up the Alvinegro Praiano against São Paulo and handled the task well. The Argentine took responsibility and moved around the field a lot.

The number 32 still struggles with some decision-making, but he has more field presence than Neymar. Rollheiser has more physicality to track back or appear on both flanks in the same play, for example. Besides that, as he tends to drift more to the right, it gives Guilherme freedom on the left.

Moreover, there isn't that constant "pressure" to always look for Neymar in offensive plays. With the star on the field, it's very common to see players always trying to involve him in the plays.

In this first test, therefore, the team performed well without Neymar. Now it's necessary to maintain this evolution with Vojvoda to perhaps dream of greater things in the Brasileirão.

Standings Situation With the result, Santos gets a breather in the fight against relegation. The club jumped to 14th place, with 26 points, four more than Vitória, which opens the relegation zone.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.