Brazilian superstar Neymar hit back at sections of the Santos crowd after being booed during the club’s 2-1 comeback victory over Macara in the first leg of their Copa Sudamericana round-of-16 tie. Despite delivering a match-winning performance with two assists, Neymar was unhappy with the negativity from some supporters and urged them to back the team instead of criticising the players while the game was still in progress.
Neymar: ‘It’s better to stay home’
Speaking to ESPN after the match, Neymar said supporters should encourage the team during difficult moments“What I was saying out there is that we were losing 1-0, and I know the fans have been suffering for many years… but if you’re going to keep thinking about that and come to the stadium with a negative mindset, it’s better to stay home,” Neymar told ESPN after the match.“I told the guy up there: instead of criticising, there’s still 60 minutes left to play, support us… encourage us. Then we turn the game around, I come over to get some water, and he’s making a heart sign in the stands… It’s easy to be a Santos fan like that… Only liking the guy when he’s winning,” he added.
Santos recover after early setback
Santos endured a nightmare start at Vila Belmiro, falling behind just four minutes into the contest. Franco Posse put Macara ahead, leaving the hosts facing an early uphill battle. However, Santos gradually grew into the match, with Neymar becoming increasingly influential as the Brazilian side searched for a response.Neymar played a decisive role in Santos’ comeback. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star produced the assist for Gabriel Barbosa, who restored parity before half-time. Neymar then delivered again in the 75th minute, sending in a dangerous corner that Willian Arao headed home to complete Santos’ turnaround.The two assists capped another productive outing for Neymar, who continues to be a key figure for the Brazilian club.The veteran forward’s contribution against Macara extended his strong recent run of form. Neymar has now been directly involved in 21 goals in his last 24 appearances for Santos, registering 13 goals and eight assists during that period. His latest display underlined his continued importance to Santos as they chase progress in the continental competition.
Santos take advantage into second leg
Santos will travel to Ambato, Ecuador, for the second leg next week with a narrow 2-1 advantage. The Brazilian side will need to avoid defeat to secure their place in the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals, while Macara will have home advantage as they attempt to overturn the deficit.
