(VIDEO) Santos Eliminate Macará and Advance to Copa Sudamericana Quarterfinals

August 21, 2026 - 10:26

Santos did just enough on the road to keep their Copa Sudamericana campaign alive. Playing in the thin air of Ambato, Ecuador, the Brazilian club settled for a 0-0 draw against Macará on Thursday night. That result, combined with their 2-1 win in the first leg last week in Brazil, was enough to push them through to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 aggregate score.

It was not a pretty performance, and it did not need to be. Santos came in with a lead and defended it with discipline. Macará pushed forward for most of the match, especially in the second half, but they rarely tested the Santos goalkeeper with clear chances. The home side had plenty of possession but struggled to turn that into real danger in the final third.

The closest either team came to a goal was in the first half when Santos had a couple of half chances on the counter. But the Brazilian side seemed content to control the tempo and absorb pressure. Macará threw bodies forward late in the game, but Santos held firm.

The result extends Santos' run in the tournament and keeps their hopes alive for a continental title. They will now wait for the draw to find out who they face in the next round. For Macará, the elimination marks the end of a solid campaign that saw them push a bigger club all the way to the wire.