VIDEO: LAFC star Denis Bouanga scores brilliant curling effort in match for Gabon in AFCON qualifying match with Morocco

Cutting in on his right foot from the left side of the box, Denis Bouanga drilled home a curling effort for Gabon in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match Friday night.

The LAFC star opened the scoring just four minutes into the tie, but Morocco went on to score five unanswered, defeating the winger and his country 5-1.

Despite the lopsided loss, Gabon are still in pole-position to advance out of their group, sitting in second place with seven points from five matches. Morocco sit atop, with 15 points, while Lesotho sit in third with four and the Central African Republic in fourth with three points.

Bouanga was the 2023 MLS Golden Boot winner, and in 2024, helped the Black and Gold to a regular season Western Conference title in MLS.

Currently in the midst of the postseason, LAFC and the Gabon star are set to take part in the MLS Conference semifinals next weekend when they host Jordan Morris and the Seattle Sounders in a knockout contest. A victory would see them through to the Western finals, where they would compete for a berth in MLS Cup 2024.

Gabon have one more match left this international break when they take on the Central African Republic at Orlando Stadium in South Africa Monday in AFCON qualifying action. Then, Bouanga will return home to Los Angeles to prepare for his clash with the Sounders next weekend.