Super Eagles striker Cyriel Dessers delivered a scintillating performance off the bench, scoring twice to help Rangers annihilate Kilmarnock 6-0 in a dominant Scottish Premiership outing on Thursday night.
Dessers, overlooked in Nigeria’s recent AFCON 2025 qualifiers, proved his worth with an impactful cameo that added gloss to an already emphatic victory.
Another Nigerian, veteran defender Leon Balogun, started the game for Rangers and contributed to a solid defensive display.
Kilmarnock, despite being under constant pressure, held out for 36 minutes before the floodgates opened.
Rangers captain James Tavernier broke the deadlock in the 37th minute, latching onto a precise Ianis Hagi assist to give his side the lead heading into half-time.
The second half turned into a goal fest as Rangers unleashed a relentless attacking blitz.
Danilo doubled the advantage in the 53rd minute, again with Hagi providing the assist, while Hamza Igmane made it 3-0 just two minutes later.
The visitors completely unravelled as Sam Cerny added a fourth goal in the 61st minute.
Dessers then entered the fray for Jefte, and his presence immediately lifted the Rangers' attack. Eight minutes after coming on, he pounced to score his first goal of the night.
The Nigerian striker wasn’t done yet. In the 77th minute, he connected with a perfectly timed cross from Tavernier to slot home his second and Rangers’ sixth goal, capping off a commanding performance.
How has Dessers fared for Rangers this season
The 29-year-old forward continues to impress in Scotland, bringing his Premiership tally to six goals in 12 appearances.
His form extends beyond the league; Dessers has also scored four goals in three Scottish Cup matches, showcasing his knack for finding the net in crucial games.
In the Europa League, Dessers has one goal to his name, scored against Olympiakos in the Europa League.
Across all competitions this season, the prolific striker has played 22 matches, contributing an impressive 11 goals and three assists.
