In-form Cyriel Dessers played a pivotal role as Rangers secured a spot in the Europa League Round of 16 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Belgian side Union St. Gilloise at Ibrox Stadium on Thursday.
With qualification within reach, Philippe Clement's side wasted no time in asserting their dominance and eventually broke the deadlock in the 21st minute through midfielder Nicolas Raskin, setting the tone for the remainder of the first half.
After the interval, the hosts pushed for a second goal and were rewarded in the 55th minute when Vaclav Cerny found the net, courtesy of an assist from Dessers.
The Nigeria international spearheaded a swift counter-attack before pulling the ball back to Cerny in the box, who slotted his effort neatly into the bottom corner to double Rangers' lead.
The visitors eventually broke through Rangers' resolute defence after multiple attempts, with Kevin Mac Allister pulling one back in the 84th minute.
Energised by the goal, they pushed for an equaliser, but Rangers stood firm to preserve their lead and secure a crucial home victory.
The victory saw Rangers climb to eighth in the standings, securing automatic qualification to the Round of 16.
Dessers shines with key contributions in Rangers' win over Union St. Gilloise
Dessers put in a solid performance during Thursday's victory, contributing with both his creativity and work rate.
The 30-year-old registered one shot on target, which came from a blocked attempt, and also created a big chance, although it was missed.
His impressive passing included 15 out of 20 accurate passes, with four key passes, one of which directly led to the second goal for Rangers.
Dessers showcased his dribbling skills with two successful attempts out of four, while his aerial presence proved effective, winning two out of three aerial duels.
