Former Rangers striker Kenny Miller was blown away by a ‘simply sensational’ Cyriel Dessers goal as Philippe Clement’s side stunned Real Betis in their Europa League group-stage decider.
Who are you and what have you done with Cyriel Dessers?
As the oft-maligned summer signing from Cremonese squared up Marc Roca and breezed past the Leeds United loanee before slotting through the legs of Real Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva, the traveling support sitting high in the Spanish night sky could have been forgiven for wondering if they were watching the same player who had stumbled through much of his Rangers career until that point.
Not so long ago, Dessers appeared to be pulling up a pew next to Filip Sebo and Eduardo Herrera. This, however, was a finish befitting of Ally McCoist. Of Alfredo Morelos in his European pomp.
Cryiel Dessers scores stunner as Rangers beat Betis
“A simply sensational goal,” Rangers icon Kenny Miller beamed during TNT Sport’s live coverage of that thrilling 3-2 win (14 December, 8pm).
“He was positive. He never hesitated. I’ve seen him in that position so many times this season hesitating. ‘Am I going to shoot or am I going to pass?’. He makes his mind up quickly and gets his goal. Excellent play
“Is that the moment to really give him a confidence boost? A goal in a big game…”
Dessers has been improving quietly and steadily since Philippe Clement replaced Mick Beale in the Ibrox dugout. He now has goals in successive games, finding the net against Dundee on Saturday too, and heads into Sunday’s League Cup final with Aberdeen in the best form of his Rangers career.
A turning point for the summer signing?
“Cyriel was one of the guys, on the plane (to Glasgow), who I talked to with the video to improve things,” Clement said after Rangers beat a Spanish team in Spain for the first time in their European history.
“And you see he is really working hard to do the things how we want the striker to play.”
An Eredivisie Golden Boot winner at Heracles and the top scorer in the inaugural Europa Conference League in 2021, there is a prolific goalscorer in there somewhere. And Clement may be the man to unleash it.
