Estoril v Gil Vicente: European push meets top-half charge | OneFootball

Estoril host Gil Vicente in Liga Portugal on Sunday, 22 February 2026 at Estádio António Coimbra da Mota, with the visitors protecting fourth and a European berth while the hosts eye a climb from mid-table.

The reverse fixture in September finished 2-0 to Gil Vicente, but recent meetings have produced wins for both sides as well as draws.

Form points to momentum for the visitors. Gil Vicente have won four of their past five, including a 5-0 victory over Famalicão and a 2-1 win against Braga. Estoril arrive off a 3-0 defeat at AVS but had taken three wins and a draw in the four league games before that.

Expect contrast in profiles. Estoril have scored 43 league goals at two per game but conceded 38, with three clean sheets. Yanis Begraoui sits third in the scoring chart with 15, while Joao Carvalho has seven assists and six goals. Gil Vicente's defence has been a strength, conceding 18 in 22 with 10 clean sheets, and going forward they deliver quality from wide areas, with Luis Esteves on six assists and Murilo on five league goals.

Set pieces and aerial moments could matter. Gil Vicente have two goals from set pieces and seven headed goals, so deliveries may trouble an Estoril back line that has leaked regularly. Estoril, perfect from five penalties and strong in open play, could look to stretch the game and feed Begraoui early.

Gil Vicente are on 40 points in fourth and a win would take them to 43, strengthening their grip on the Conference League slot. Estoril sit ninth on 30 and victory would move them to 33 points, a result that could lift them into seventh and tighten the race for European contention.