Injured Neymar puts on ´very good show´ to lift Santos away from danger with hat-trick

Santos head coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda hailed Neymar for putting on a “very good show” after his hat-trick moved his side out of the Serie A relegation zone.

Neymar has been struggling with a knee injury, but stepped up at a crucial time, scoring all three goals in the 3-0 win over Juventude to move Santos up to 14th in the table with one game left.

The 33-year-old has directly contributed, with a goal or assist, to six of Santos’ last eight goals in the league (five goals and one assist).

And his first hat-trick in three years, which he scored in just 17 second-half minutes, was a timely one, as it moved Santos two points clear of danger heading into their final game against Cruzeiro.

“As a player, today I thought that [Neymar] put on a very good show, especially in the second half, achieving the effectiveness that the team needed in a difficult moment,” Vojvoda said.

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