AliousDessers Equals Previous Rangers Goal Record Despite Struggling in First Half Against Dundee
Cyriel Dessers has reached his previous season’s tally of 22 goals for Rangers already this campaign, though his performance in the opening half against Dundee on Saturday evening was notably poor.
The Nigerian forward has been performing impressively during Barry Ferguson’s brief tenure as manager, delivering strong displays both in European competition against Fenerbahce and domestically in the Scottish Premiership. Despite his recent form, Dessers squandered multiple scoring opportunities in Rangers’ recent league match at Dundee, where the home side built a two-goal advantage through Simon Murray and Joe Shaughnessy before an own goal from Shaughnessy reduced their lead to 2-1.
Ferguson selected Dessers to start at Dens Park, marking the striker’s 100th appearance for Rangers. The forward has had a complicated relationship with Ibrox supporters, who appreciate his ability to score crucial goals but are frustrated by his tendency to miss important chances.
The latter tendency was evident within the first 14 minutes against Dundee when he first shot wide from inside the penalty area and later hit a left-footed attempt directly at goalkeeper Trevor Carson. Ian McCall, a former Rangers player commenting on BBC Sportsound, criticized Dessers for the first missed opportunity, suggesting he was distracted by Shaughnessy rather than focusing on scoring: “I think the net has got to bulge there,” McCall stated.
Rangers’ difficult first half worsened when Shaughnessy scored Dundee’s second goal from close range following poor defending and a mistake by goalkeeper Jack Butland.
The situation resembles Rangers’ February match at Kilmarnock, where Ferguson secured his first managerial victory by overturning a two-goal deficit to win 4-2. Despite their poor start at Dens Park, Rangers retain the potential to mount a comeback given their talent, though the team appears to lack confidence at times.
While Rangers may effectively be playing for pride in the league, they cannot afford to focus solely on their Europa League campaign. There’s a puzzling contrast between the team’s restrained league performances and their uninhibited European displays, regardless of who manages the team.
Rangers face significant challenges in the second half but have consistently shown the ability to create chances and potentially overturn deficits.
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