Super Eagles and Rangers striker Cyriel Kolawole Dessers expressed his delight after scoring twice in Rangers’ thrilling 4-2 comeback victory over Kilmarnock, helping manager Barry Ferguson secure a debut win.
The 30-year-old forward was included in the starting lineup, with Ferguson having previously stated his admiration for the Nigerian striker. However, Rangers found themselves trailing 2-0 within the first 14 minutes, following goals from Joe Wright and Brad Lyons for the home side. Václav Cerny pulled one back for the Gers in the 35th minute, keeping them in contention before halftime.
After the break, Rangers produced a stunning turnaround, thanks to Dessers' double strike and an 85th-minute goal from Nedim Bajrami. Reflecting on the match, Dessers described the contrasting nature of both halves.
“It was a weird game. We cannot afford to start like that. It has been an emotional few days, and maybe that affected us, but the way we reacted showed our mentality and character. This is a tough place to come, so we can be happy with the win.”
He credited the half-time team talk from Ferguson for inspiring their comeback.
“The gaffer reminded us that we were still in the game, thanks to Václav’s goal. We fought back in the last 15 minutes of the first half and had to continue that momentum. The second half was really enjoyable.”
Dessers’ brace saw him reach 20 goals for Rangers this season, just two short of last season’s tally, with several games still to play. The striker also praised Turkish full-back Ridvan Yilmaz for providing the assist for his second goal.
“I have a great relationship with Ridvan; he knows the type of runs I like to make. His pass was perfect, and I didn’t even have to think—it was all instinct. It was a great moment and an important goal.”
Looking ahead, Dessers emphasized the need for consistency as Rangers push for more success.
“This win gives us confidence. We’ve shown that we can play good football, but we need to maintain this intensity and consistency. Saturday’s game against Motherwell is another opportunity to give back to the fans.”
With his impressive form, Dessers is now in a strong position to be included in Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles squad for Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March.
