Experienced Super Eagles striker Cyriel Dessers was heavily involved as Rangers made light work of Czech side Viktoria Plzen after cruising to a comfortable 3-0 victory in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League qualifier, Footynaija.com reports.
Dessers has had to make do with a frustratingly cautious start to the 2025/2026 campaign due to fitness concerns. Prior to Tuesday’s appearance against Viktoria Plzen, the 30-year-old striker had seen only 53 minutes of action as Rangers head coach Russell Martins sought to ease his star striker back into the thick of things.
Handed his first competitive start of the season, Dessers stepped up to the plate and showed why he was the Light Blues’ best player last term. He set up Rangers’ first goal of the game, playing in Djeidi Gassama before putting the Scottish side two goals up with a coolly converted penalty late in the first half. Gassama eventually grabbed Rangers’ third in the second half.
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The performance and win was a welcome development for Rangers, perhaps a reaction to that disappointing SPFL draw against Motherwell last weekend and the consequent tongue-lashing from manager Russell Martin. But Dessers insists the harsh words were not really a motivation for Tuesday’s performance.
What Cyriel Dessers said
“No, not really. I think you need to have this motivation, always,” the Super Eagles striker told BBC Sport in quotes revealed by the Daily Record.
“I think he said it at the weekend as well that it’s easy to have it for the European and Old Firm games, but you need it in every league game because there are no easy games in the SPFL. We need to pick up our level there as well.”
Dessers also had words of praise for his fellow attackers Djeidi Gassama and Oliver Antman as the latter also managed to bag the assist for Gassama’s second and Rangers’ third of the night.
“They are young, exciting players, and it is good that we got them in. I am sure they are going to grow from here on, but for me, it is a pleasure to play with them. Hopefully, they can continue like this.”
Dessers and Rangers will be looking to replicate Tuesday’s performance on Saturday when they return to SPFL action against Dundee FC.
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