Santos turned the match around and justified the lead with more possession and more chances

Santos won 2-1 against Macara in the round of 16 of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana and ended up holding onto a lead that also shows up in the numbers: 71% possession, 11 shots and 1.6 in chances created against 29%, 6 shots and 1.2 from their opponent. The game, however, was not one-way traffic: Macara got off to the perfect start with a F. Posse goal in the 5', forcing Santos to play almost the entire match from a position of chasing the game.

Tactical read

The match clearly belonged to Santos, who controlled the ball for much of the contest and pushed the game into the opposition half. That control is reflected in possession, but also in the output: 11 shots, 7 of them on target, point to a sustained presence in the final third. On the other side, Macara had less of the ball and less attacking volume, with just 6 shots and 1 on target.

The difference in chances created also supports that reading. Santos generated 1.6 and Macara 1.2, a small gap in terms of merit, but enough to explain why the 2-1 scoreline fits what happened. The Brazilian side did more to force the tempo, while Macara was more direct and managed to capitalize very early, although after that it struggled to hold onto the advantage against the home side's territorial dominance.

The lineups help explain the shape of the game: Santos in a 4-2-3-1 and Macara in a 4-3-3. In that setup, the home team was able to establish itself higher up the pitch and repeat attacks, while the visitors were left more exposed to long spells without the ball. 3 yellow cards for Santos compared with 6 for Macara also show a more stop-start match and greater tension for the side that spent more time defending.

The standout performers

The ratings clearly highlight the most influential names for Santos:

• Willian Arão: 8.3 and also the scorer of the 76' goal, the one that ultimately swung the result.
• Joao Schmidt: 7.9, in a match where ball control was key.
• Neymar: 7.6, in a team that found more attacking continuity.

The highest rating belonged to Willian Arão, and not just because of the score: his 76' goal was the team's second and the one that put Santos ahead in the decisive stretch. Before that, Gabriel Barbosa had equalized the match with his 44' strike, an important play because it allowed the home side to reach halftime level after the early blow from F. Posse.

The turning point is pretty clear: the 1-0 from F. Posse in the 5' forced Santos to chase the game from the opening minutes, but Gabriel Barbosa's equalizer in the 44' changed the momentum before the break. From there, possession dominance and greater attacking output finally paid off with Willian Arão's goal in the 76'.

In short, Santos won not only because of the result but also because of what it produced: more possession, more shots, more shots on target and better individual ratings from the names that mattered most up front. Macara, despite the dream start, could not sustain the early impact or carry it through the rest of the match.