Yassir Zabiri fires Racing Santander to landmark win with Elche treble

Yassir Zabiri marked his first start for Racing Santander with a stunning 21-minute hat-trick to secure the club’s first victory since returning to the Spanish top flight, as Elche were beaten at El Sardinero.

The Morocco forward was the decisive figure in the match, scoring three times between the 15th and 36th minutes and turning Racing’s home ground into a scene of celebration. His explosive contribution gave the team a major lift at the beginning of its league campaign and placed him immediately among the standout performers of the opening round.

Zabiri opened the scoring in the 15th minute after taking advantage of a serious mistake by Elche goalkeeper Matias Dituro. The striker reacted quickly to seize possession and put Racing ahead.

Only six minutes later, he struck again. A further moment of uncertainty in the Elche defence allowed Zabiri the opportunity to shoot, and his excellent effort beat the Argentina goalkeeper to double the advantage.

The Moroccan completed his treble in the 36th minute with a direct finish, triggering further celebrations among the Racing supporters. It was a remarkable statement during his first appearance in the starting line-up for the Spanish club.

Zabiri joined Racing Santander on loan from French side Rennes after making only six appearances during the second half of last season. He needed just one start, however, to provide a powerful demonstration of his attacking ability.

The forward already has an impressive record at youth international level. He was one of the leading figures in Morocco’s Under-20 World Cup triumph, playing a decisive role in the final by scoring twice to help his country claim the title.

His three goals against Elche also took him straight into the early scoring race. Zabiri now shares the lead with Kylian Mbappe, Raphinha and Fermin Lopez, having become one of the first players to score a hat-trick in the season.

The speed of his accomplishment was particularly notable. Zabiri needed only 21 minutes to find the net three times, leaving open the possibility that he could have added to his total later in the match. His performance established him as one of the players to attract the most attention during the opening round of the Spanish league.

The treble also placed Zabiri in distinguished Moroccan company. He became the fourth player from Morocco in the 21st century to score a hat-trick in the Spanish league, following Youssef En-Nesyri, Youssef El-Arabi and Mounir El Hamdaoui.

He is also the second-fastest African player of the current century to score a Spanish league hat-trick. His three goals came in 21 minutes, with only Cameroon great Samuel Eto’o having done so more quickly. Eto’o scored three times against Almeria in 2008 in a 19-minute spell.

Zabiri’s achievement added another entry to Racing Santander’s history. He became the first Racing player to score a league hat-trick at El Sardinero since Javi Guerrero, who completed the feat against Murcia in 2004.