# Santos advances to Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/santos-fc-competition-campaigns > Updated: 2026-08-22T23:02:06.000Z. Sources: 166. Developments: 7. Santos FC has advanced to the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals following a 0-0 draw against Macará in Ambato, Ecuador, on 20 August. This result secured a 3-2 aggregate victory after a 2-1 win in the first leg at Vila Belmiro. In that opening match, Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa scored his 100th goal for the club, and Willian Arão completed a comeback victory following an early goal by Macará’s Franco Posse. The first leg was marked by tension as Neymar, who provided two assists, criticized sections of the home crowd for ‘negative energy’ and addressed a perceived lack of unity within the team. To navigate the 2,500-meter altitude and poor pitch conditions in the second leg, manager Cuca rested key stars Neymar and Gabigol. Goalkeeper Gabriel Brazão played a vital role with several critical saves, leading Cuca to describe the defensive performance as “perfect from beginning to end.” While the club moves on to an all-Brazilian quarter-final against Atlético-MG and earns approximately US$ 700,000, domestic performance remains a significant concern. Following a 1-1 draw against Mirassol in the Campeonato Brasileiro, Santos remains near the relegation zone with 26 points. The club is currently navigating a demanding schedule across multiple competitions, including preparation for an upcoming Copa do Brasil quarterfinal clash against Palmeiras. The Sudamericana matchup against Atlético Mineiro may see Neymar playing on the synthetic pitch at Arena MRV, a surface he has previously criticized. ## Claims - Neymar entered the match as a substitute in the second half. (disputed by 9 sources) - Gabriel Barbosa (Gabigol) scored for Santos in the win over Universidad Central. (disputed by 4 sources) - Santos are resting Neymar and Gabigol, leaving Thaciano and Álvaro Barreal as the main goal threats. (disputed) - Santos defeated Universidad Central 4‑2 in the second‑leg playoff. (corroborated by 12 sources) - Santos FC will face Ecuadorian club Macará in the Copa Sudamericana round of 16. (corroborated by 8 sources) - Santos advanced with an 8‑3 aggregate score over Universidad Central. (corroborated by 6 sources) - The match will be broadcast on SBT, ESPN and Disney+. (corroborated by 4 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-22: Santos FC faces multi-competition challenges amid domestic struggles Santos FC faces a busy schedule, balancing Copa Sul-Americana success with domestic struggles in the Brasileirão and an upcoming Copa do Brasil quarterfinal against Palmeiras. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/santos-advances-in-copa-sul-americana-but-struggles-in-brasileiro ### 2026-08-19: Santos FC advances to Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals Santos FC advanced to the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals after a 0-0 draw against Macará in Ecuador, securing a 3-2 aggregate victory despite playing with a rotated squad in high altitude. 42 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/santos-fc-faces-macar-in-copa-sul-americana-second-leg ### 2026-08-13: Santos FC defeats Macará 2-1 in Copa Sudamericana comeback Santos defeated Macará 2-1 in the Copa Sudamericana first leg, led by Neymar's two assists and Gabigol's 100th club goal. Neymar also addressed crowd negativity and team unity. 80 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/santos-fc-and-macar-face-off-in-copa-sudamericana-round-of-16 ### 2026-08-11: Santos FC faces Macará in Copa Sul-Americana round of 16 Santos FC hosts Ecuador's Macará in the first leg of the Copa Sul-Americana round of 16 at Vila Belmiro, featuring the return of Neymar to the squad. 12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/santos-hosts-macar-in-copa-sudamericana-round-of-16 ### 2026-07-29: Santos FC reaches Copa Sudamericana round of 16, set to face Macará Santos FC beat Universidad Central 4‑2 (8‑3 agg.) to reach the Copa Sudamericana round of 16, where they will face Ecuador’s Macará; Neymar featured, viewership hit 2.3 M, and a viral kiss sparked further buzz. 31 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/santos-advances-to-copa-sudamericana-round-of-16-will-face-ecuadors-macar ### 2026-07-27: Santos prepares for decisive Copa Sudamericana second leg vs Universidad Central Santos leads 4‑1 from the first leg and will host Universidad Central on 28 July 2026; a two‑goal loss still sees them through, while a three‑goal win sends the tie to penalties. Neymar may start, Thaciano and 65 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/santos-carries-4-1-advantage-into-copa-sudamericana-second-leg-vs-universidad-central ### 2026-07-01: Santos reaches quarterfinals after 3-0 defeat by São Paulo in U‑20 league Santos lost 3‑0 to São Paulo in the U‑20 Brasileiro but still qualified for the quarter‑finals, where they will meet Botafogo. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/santos-reaches-quarterfinals-after-3-0-defeat-by-so-paulo-in-u20-league --- Cite as: Santos advances to Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/santos-fc-competition-campaigns