Gabigol Shines in Triumphant Return as Santos Stuns Novorizontino in Paulistão Opener
Gabigol scores on his return to Santos, leading a comeback win in the 2026 Campeonato Paulista opener as Santos and Palmeiras prepare to face off next.
- • Gabigol returned to Santos after seven years, scoring the equalizer in a 2-1 victory over Novorizontino.
- • Santos temporarily occupies second place in the Campeonato Paulista standings after their win.
- • Palmeiras started the tournament with a 1-0 win versus Portuguesa, featuring a goal from youth player Luighi.
- • Santos and Palmeiras will face each other next, heightening expectations for a classic showdown in the Paulistão.
- • Gabigol's impactful debut highlights his importance to Santos' campaign in a highly competitive season.
Key details
Gabigol marked his return to Santos FC after seven years with an immediate and pivotal impact during the opening match of the 2026 Campeonato Paulista. Santos staged a thrilling comeback to beat Novorizontino 2-1 at Vila Belmiro. Novorizontino opened the scoring through Diego Galo, but Gabigol equalized, signaling his strong debut back with the team. Thaciano secured the victory with a late winner, temporarily placing Santos second in the standings.
Meanwhile, Palmeiras began their Paulistão campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Portuguesa at Estádio do Canindé, thanks to a goal from young talent Luighi. Palmeiras took advantage of a red card against Portuguesa's Igor Thiago to seize control and clinch the win. Both Santos and Palmeiras are now gearing up to face each other in an eagerly anticipated classic match in the next round.
This notable return of Gabigol boosts Santos' ambitions in a highly competitive season, where playoff qualification is a key target. The renewed energy Gabigol brings to the squad is already evident on the pitch, setting high expectations for upcoming encounters, especially against traditional rivals Palmeiras.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
