In a captivating clash held at the Arena Condá, Chapecoense emerged victorious against Santos with a score of 4-2 in the opening round of the Brasileirão. The home side saw goals from Walter Clar (15’ – penalty), Higor Meritão (28’ – 2T), Jean Carlos (34’ – 2T), and Rafael Carvalheira (44’ – 2T). Santos responded with efforts from Gabriel Menino (46’ – 1T) and Álvaro Barreal (21’ – 2T).
Santos nearly equalized late in the match with a shot from Lautaro Díaz that hit the post, proving to be a frustrating moment for the visitors. Despite registering 25 shots in total, which was significantly more than Chapecoense, Santos could not secure the desired result, with 11 on target, another shot hitting the woodwork, and 11 going wide.
Jean Carlos shone as the standout player of the match, contributing one goal to Chapecoense’s success. Additionally, João Paulo’s defensive performance was crucial, successfully clearing 8 potentially dangerous attempts from Santos.
The Chapecoense manager, Gilmar Dal Pozzo, opted for a 3-5-2 formation with Léo Vieira in goal; Victor Caetano, Eduardo Doma, and João Paulo in defense; Marcos Vinicius, Rafael Carvalheira, Camilo Reijers, Walter Clar, and Giovanni Augusto in midfield; and Marcinho and Italo leading the attack.
Santos, managed by Juan Pablo Vojvoda, set up in a 4-3-3 formation with Gabriel Brazão as goalkeeper; Igor Vinícius, Alexis Duarte, Luan Peres, and Vinicius Lira in defense; Gabriel Menino, João Schmidt, and Zé Rafael in midfield; and Miguel Terceros, Lautaro Díaz, and Gustavo Caballero as forwards.
The match was officiated by referee Savio Pereira Sampaio.
Looking ahead, Chapecoense will travel to face Vasco da Gama in their next match, while Santos will host São Paulo in a classic derby that ignites the passion of both fan bases.
With this win, Chapecoense tops the league with 3 points, while Santos finds themselves in a difficult position at 19th place without any points.
Substitutions for Chapecoense
45’ – Marcos Vinicius out for Everton and Gustavo Caballero out for Álvaro Barreal
56’ – Marcinho out for Yannick Bolasie and Giovanni Augusto out for Jean Carlos
67’ – Camilo Reijers out for Higor Meritão
74’ – João Paulo out for Robert Santos
Yellow Cards for Chapecoense
40’ – Marcos Vinicius (Unsporting behavior); 17’ – Camilo Reijers (Unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Santos
76’ – Lautaro Díaz out for Fernando Pradella and Zé Rafael out for Robinho Júnior
83’ – Miguel Terceros out for Benjamín Rollheiser
89’ – Gabriel Menino out for Gabriel Bontempo
Yellow Cards for Santos
7’ – Alexis Duarte (Unsporting behavior); 15’ – Gabriel Brazão (Unsporting behavior); 35’ – Gabriel Menino (Insulting or disapproving the referee)