Santos captain Neymar became the first high-profile player affected by Brazil’s new anti-time-wasting regulations as his side secured a crucial 3-0 victory at Vasco da Gama in the 23rd round of the Brazilian league.
Santos scored all three goals in the final 20 minutes at Sao Januario to move temporarily out of the relegation zone and give Neymar a memorable night, despite the physical problems that have troubled him recently.
The 33-year-old played the full match and played a part in two of Santos’ three goals. His performance helped his side claim an important victory in their fight for survival.
Santos had to wait until the 68th minute to break the deadlock. Gabriel Barbosa, known as Gabigol, opened the scoring before Willian Arao doubled the advantage nine minutes later.
Luan Peres completed the victory four minutes after that, converting the rebound after Vasco da Gama goalkeeper Leo Jardim failed to deal with a powerful Neymar shot.
Neymar was also involved in Santos’ second goal. His cross was not cleared properly by Jardim, allowing Willian Arao to finish from close range.
The Santos captain then took a powerful free-kick in the 81st minute. Jardim again dealt with the ball poorly, and Luan Peres was on hand to put the rebound into the net and seal a decisive win.
For Vasco da Gama, it was a disastrous evening in front of their home supporters. The team collapsed during the closing stages, while Jardim was jeered by the crowd at the final whistle following his costly errors.
Santos now have 25 points from 23 matches and have moved out of the relegation places, although their position remains dependent on the results of the other games in the round.
The club are also enjoying an encouraging period in other competitions. Santos have reached the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil and won the first leg of their Copa Sudamericana round-of-16 tie against Macara of Ecuador.
However, the most unusual moment of Neymar’s evening came when he was temporarily ordered off the pitch under a new rule introduced in the Brazilian league this week.
Santos goalkeeper Gabriel Brazao received treatment on the field after suffering an injury. The referee judged that the stoppage fell under the competition’s new provisions on delaying the game and instructed Neymar, as Santos’ captain, to leave the pitch for one minute.
Neymar was allowed to return only after that period had elapsed, making him the first prominent player to be punished under the regulation.
The rule states that when play stops because a goalkeeper is injured, the manager must nominate an outfield player to leave the pitch. That player must remain off the field for at least one minute after play restarts.
If the manager does not nominate a player within 10 seconds of the medical team being allowed to enter the pitch, the team captain is automatically required to leave.
There are several exceptions. The rule does not apply when the goalkeeper’s injury is caused by an offence that requires a free-kick and immediate treatment, when the goalkeeper and an outfield player both need attention after a collision, or when the goalkeeper is suffering from bleeding.
