Neymar nets hat trick as Santos topples Cruzeiro

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Santos rolled to a 4-0 win at Cruzeiro on Saturday as Neymar scored a hat trick to help his side to its first win in four games.

Neymar got the scoring started 12 minutes into the contest, and he doubled the lead and his personal tally in the match five minutes before halftime.

Cruzeiro had no way back into the game in the 53rd when Felipe Anderson scored to make it 3-0, while Neymar completed his hat trick eight minutes from time to give him 12 goals on the season.

League-leaders Fluminense needed a goal in the 67th minute from Fred to earn a 1-1 draw at Sao Paulo, but the club still extended its lead at the top to nine points as second-place Atletico Mineiro sustained a 1-0 defeat at Coritiba after Deivid's first-half penalty kick.

A 70th-minute goal from Hernane was enough to hand Flamengo a 1-0 win over Figueirense, while 10-man Gremio was able to beat Ponte Preta, 1-0, as Andre Lima scored in stoppage time to give his team the win despite the fact that they played the final 20 minutes with 10 men.

Sport Recife collected a 3-0 victory at Vasco da Gama, second-half goals from Juan Manuel Martinez and Guilherme helped Corinthians to a 2-0 win at Goianiense, Hernan Barcos scored twice for Palmeiras but his side was held to a 2-2 draw by Botafogo, while Bahia topped Portuguesa, 1-0, as a goal from Rodrigo Souza in the 82nd minute was the difference in a clash of bottom-half sides.