Forgotten Super Eagles forward Cyriel Dessers returned to the scoresheet on Sunday, helping Rangers clinch a 2-1 victory over Motherwell to secure their spot in the League Cup final.
Dessers, who had gone eight games without a goal, was pivotal in Rangers’ comeback effort, signaling a potential resurgence ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming AFCON qualifiers.
The Dutch-born came close to opening the scoring early in the 12th minute, latching onto a quick counterattack orchestrated by Jefte. His effort narrowly missed the target, reinforcing his frustrations in front of goal.
Motherwell capitalized on their chances, going ahead in the 25th minute when Andy Halliday slotted home after a precise layoff from Steve Seddon.
Despite Rangers’ attempts to level before the break—including a second close attempt from Dessers in the 44th minute—they went into halftime trailing by a goal.
Turning the tide in the second half
Rangers emerged with renewed energy in the second half, and Dessers wasted little time in equalizing. In the 49th minute, he calmly converted a layoff from Barron, finding the bottom corner to end his goal drought and restore hope for his team.
This was his eighth goal of the season across all competitions, complemented by three assists in 18 appearances.
Dessers‘ display, however, was cut short as he made way for Danilo in the 67th minute. Rangers ultimately clinched the victory in the 81st minute when Nedim Bajrami scored the decisive goal, powering his shot into the roof of the net after a pass from Václav Černý.
This return to form comes at a crucial time for the 29-year-old as he aims to catch the attention of Austin Eguavoen, the Super Eagles’ interim manager, ahead of Nigeria’s 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda.
Nigeria, currently leading their group with 10 points from four matches, will be closely monitoring the in-form forward as they prepare for the upcoming fixtures.
