Santos 2-3 Fluminense Player Ratings: Rodrigo Castillo 8.5/10 Goal and Assist Fires Fluminense Past Neymar's Santos in Five-Goal Brazilian Serie A Thriller

Santos looked to be in complete control and cruising. Gabriel Barbosa's composed finish in the ninth minute gave the home side a deserved early lead, and when Barreal added a second on the counter in the 57th minute, just minutes after Savarino's stunning equaliser had briefly levelled the contest, the Estadio Urbano Caldeira dared to believe Neymar and company were heading for a comfortable victory.

Fluminense had other ideas entirely. Castillo rose to power with a composed header in the 60th minute, immediately cancelling out Santos' restored advantage, and from that moment the visitors never looked back.

Santos defended desperately but without the cutting edge needed to kill the tie off, and Fluminense punished them in the most devastating fashion, John Kennedy arriving at the back post in the 86th minute to slot home Guga's cross and complete a stunning comeback that Santos had absolutely no answer to in the most painful of closing stages. Here are Sportsdunia's Santos vs Fluminense player ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Castillo was the decisive force behind Fluminense's comeback, his 60th-minute header immediately restoring parity after Santos had retaken the lead, before his creative influence set up Kennedy's dramatic winner in one of the Brazilian Serie A's most entertaining contests of the season.
• Santos' inability to hold a two-goal advantage twice in the same match proved their ultimate undoing, squandering both a first-half and second-half lead against a Fluminense side that showed the character and quality to keep coming back every time they were knocked down.
• Kennedy's 86th-minute winner was the decisive and most dramatic contribution of the evening, a perfectly timed arrival at the back post that completed Fluminense's comeback and left Santos to reflect on a devastating collapse that Neymar's individual brilliance alone could not prevent.

Santos Player Ratings vs Fluminense

Here are the Santos player ratings vs Fluminense.

Goalkeeper

Gabriel Brazão - 5.5: A tough night for the keeper. He conceded three goals, and you could see his frustration. He couldn't do much about the first two goals. The late winner was a heartbreaker for him. He made a couple of punches but offered little else.

Defenders

Lucas Veríssimo - 5.5: Really struggled with the pace of the game. He was booked and looked shaky in his duels, winning only 3 out of 11. What stood out to us was his difficulty in aerial battles. He conceded a few corners under pressure. It was just not his day defensively.

Luan Peres - 6.0: A quiet but relatively stable presence compared to his partners. He was tidy in possession with a 95% pass accuracy. However, he only won one duel all game. We noticed he didn't impose himself on the match physically.

Igor Vinícius - 5.5: He picked up an early yellow card, which limited his aggression. He struggled defensively, winning only half of his duels. From our perspective, he was often caught out of position. He tried to get forward but offered little end product.

Álvaro Barreal - 7.0: He was a bright spark during his time on the pitch. He took his goal really well, showing great composure. It was a shame to see him subbed off after 61 minutes. He was direct and caused problems before his departure.

Midfielders

Neymar - 6.0: A frustrating performance from the captain. We expected him to grab the game by the scruff of the neck, but it didn't happen. He lost possession an astonishing 29 times. He had a great chance saved late on but was otherwise ineffective.

Willian Arão - 6.5: He was solid enough in midfield. He was great with his long-range passing. He won most of his duels and recovered the ball well. However, he was dribbled past and didn't offer enough protection when Fluminense attacked.

Gustavo Henrique - 6.5: He was combative and won a good number of his duels. He got a yellow card for his troubles. He was a physical presence before being substituted. A decent, if unspectacular, outing for him.

Gabriel Bontempo - 7.0: One of Santos's better performers. He was a force in midfield, winning 10 duels. His passing was crisp and accurate. He even created a big chance for his team. We were impressed with his work rate.

Moisés - 6.0: He only played the first half and was largely anonymous. He completed all his passes but had very few touches. He didn't make a significant impact on the game. The substitution at halftime was understandable.

Forwards

Gabriel Barbosa - 8.0: He was the main threat to Santos. He scored the opener and provided a clever assist for the second goal. He was a constant nuisance for the defenders. However, he also missed a big chance and got booked.

Substitutes

Rafael Gonzaga - 6.0: Came on at halftime but failed to influence the game. He committed a couple of fouls and didn't offer much going forward. A quiet cameo from the substitute.

Lautaro Díaz - 6.0: Replaced the goalscorer Barreal but couldn't replicate his impact. He was barely involved in the final thirty minutes. We hardly noticed him on the pitch.

Benjamín Rollheiser - 6.5: Came on late and immediately set up a chance for Neymar. Looked lively in his brief appearance. Perhaps he should have been brought on earlier.

Manager

A. Stival - 6.0: His team took the lead twice but ultimately fell apart. The defensive structure seemed weak and unable to handle Fluminense's comebacks. His substitutions didn't change the course of the game in his favor. A disappointing result for him.

Fluminense Player Ratings vs Santos

Check out the Fluminense player ratings vs Santos.

Goalkeeper

Fábio - 6.0: He conceded two goals, but there wasn't much he could do about either. He made a crucial save to deny Neymar late in the game. His distribution was a bit shaky at times. A mixed performance from the veteran captain.

Defenders

Jemmes - 6.5: He had a busy night. He made seven clearances and was strong in the air. However, he also lost a few duels and was caught offside once. A solid, if not flawless, display at the back.

Guilherme Arana - 6.0: A difficult evening for the fullback. He lost most of his duels and gave away possession cheaply. He looked uncomfortable against Santos's attackers. He'll want to forget this performance quickly.

Juan Pablo Freytes - 6.5: He was very composed on the ball, with high passing accuracy. He contributed to the attack with a key pass. Defensively, he was steady but rarely tested in one-on-one situations.

Guga - 7.5: An excellent performance from the right-back. He provided a fantastic cross for the equalizer. He created three chances and was a constant threat down the flank. He was also solid defensively, winning eight of his ten duels.

Midfielders

Facundo Bernal - 6.5: A battling performance in the middle of the park. He made some important tackles and ball recoveries. However, he received a yellow card and sometimes struggled with the opponent's movement. He kept things ticking over nicely.

Alisson - 5.0: A really poor game from him. He was responsible for an error leading to a goal. He also picked up a yellow card for a clumsy challenge. It was no surprise to see him substituted early in the second half.

Hércules - 6.5: He was very active and got into good positions. However, his finishing was wasteful, with three shots off target. He worked hard for the team but lacked the final product. A bit more composure was needed.

Forwards

Jefferson Savarino - 7.5: He scored a stunning goal from outside the box. What a strike that was! He was a creative force for his team. His dribbling and passing caused a lot of problems for the Santos defence before his injury.

Rodrigo Castillo - 8.5: Our man of the match, without a doubt. He scored a crucial header to bring his team level. He also provided the assist for the first goal. He was a beast, winning 10 duels and leading the line superbly. A complete striker's performance.

Kevin Serna - 6.5: He worked hard on the wing and was solid in possession. He made several ball recoveries and drew fouls. However, he offered little in terms of a direct goal threat. A functional but quiet game.

Substitutes

John Kennedy - 6.5: Came on for the struggling Alisson and provided more energy. He helped his team push for the win. A positive change from the manager.

Otávio - N/A: Came on late and didn't have enough time to make an impact.

Riquelme - N/A: Came on for the injured Savarino and didn't have much time to influence the match.

Manager

L. Zubeldía - 7.5: He got his tactics spot on. His team showed immense character to come from behind twice. His decision to replace Alisson with John Kennedy was a smart move. He masterminded a fantastic away victory.

Man of the Match

Rodrigo Castillo was the man of the match.

Worst Performer

Alisson was the worst performer.