Rio de Janeiro: Santos striker Neymar scored three goals in his team's 5-0 win over Guaratingueta in the 16th round of the Sao Paulo state championship.

The 20-year-old phenomenon scored the game's opening goal in the third minute, and assisted in his team's second goal, which was scored by Juan in the 25th minute.

Juan scored Santos' third goal in the 36th minute after receiving a pass from Ibson, emphatically slamming the ball into the upper right corner of the goal, Xinhua reported.

Neymar scored his team's last two goals, both by way of penalty kicks, in the 42nd minute and the 87th minute.

The win takes Santos to fourth place in the state championship with 33 points. The team will travel to face Portuguesa April 1. (IANS)