Part 3/5:
Despite an encouraging start in their opening match against Mirassol, where they secured a win, the cracks began to show. Analysts noted that while Santos had seemingly returned to form, their goalkeeper was the standout player, suggesting the team was still vulnerable defensively, allowing too many chances to their opponents.
The second halves of matches have been particularly troubling for Santos. Time and again, they’ve started strong but have deteriorated during the latter part of games. A notable example was a recent match against Palmeiras, where Santos initially took the lead but faded significantly in the second half.