Rangers FC: Cyriel Dessers celebrates his first goal in the Old Firm despite the draw

On Sunday, May 4, Cyriel Dessers netted his first goal in the legendary Old Firm, the iconic Glasgow derby that electrifies Scotland and football fans far beyond. In front of the Rangers faithful, the Nigerian international broke the deadlock just before halftime (44th minute) after a brilliant team move orchestrated by Mohamed Diomande and Vaclav Cerny.

Although Rangers were ultimately held to a 1-1 draw by Celtic, the 30-year-old Nigerian striker was delighted to finally find the net in this classic showdown. Notably, this was his 25th goal of the season for the Scottish club.

"Scoring a goal in the Old Firm at Ibrox is an incredible feeling. I scored one last season but it was disallowed, so this is just amazing. It was a beautiful team goal, we broke at full speed. I saw Diomande, he saw me, then Vaclav made a great move forward and read the situation perfectly. I got in front of the defender and finished with my left foot—it was a fantastic team goal. Overall, we can be satisfied, but not quite enough in terms of performance and result," he told Rangers TV.

Since his arrival from Cremonese in 2023, Cyriel Dessers has scored 47 goals in two seasons with Rangers. Criticized when he first signed, he has since established himself in the squad and delivered on the pitch. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, May 5, the striker reflected on his tough start in Glasgow and the performances that have confirmed his talent.

"I think if, two years ago, the day I signed, you had told the fans ‘this striker will score 47 goals in two seasons,’ everyone would have said ‘yes, please.’ It could have been more, it could have been less. I just try to do my job. The criticism really hurt me at first. But now, I’ve moved past that a bit and I focus on myself, helping my teammates, helping the team. In a team that has its ups and downs, scoring 25 goals—I think that’s a good performance and I’m proud of it," said Cyriel Dessers.

Lydiane N'Po |

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Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.