Morocco forward Yanis El Bakraoui nets brace for Estoril to surge up Portuguese scoring charts

Moroccan international Yanis El Bakraoui continued his red-hot form in Portugal, delivering a match-winning performance to guide Estoril Praia to a commanding 3-1 victory over Gil Vicente FC on Sunday.

The forward once again underlined his importance to Estoril in their 23rd league fixture of the season. After Félix Pachari handed the hosts the advantage in the 28th minute, it was El Bakraoui who took centre stage in the second half. The 24-year-old striker struck twice in quick succession — first in the 74th minute and again six minutes later — effectively putting the game beyond Gil Vicente’s reach.

His clinical brace not only secured three crucial points but also propelled Estoril into sixth place in the Portuguese top-flight standings, strengthening their push for a strong finish this season.

Now in his second campaign with Estoril, El Bakraoui has grown into one of the league’s most feared forwards. His movement, composure in front of goal, and consistency have made him a standout performer week after week.

The former Africa U-23 Cup of Nations winner with Morocco is currently third in the league’s scoring charts with 17 goals, trailing only Greek forward Vangelis Pavlidis, who leads the race with 20 strikes.

With several matches still to play, El Bakraoui remains firmly in contention for the Golden Boot, and if his current form is anything to go by, he could yet close the gap at the top.