Say what you want about one of Rangers’ most divisive players of recent years, you can never knock his mentality or his never-say-die spirit.
After coming in for criticism again during the opening day – denied by the goalkeeper, the woodwork and hitting just about everything apart from the back of the net in that 0-0 draw with Hearts – it looked destined to be another night of frustration for Cyriel Dessers in Poland.
As Rangers attempted to claw their way back into the game, Dynamo Kiev taking the lead in Tuesday’s Champions League third-round qualifier thanks to veteran Andriy Yarmolenko, lightning appeared to be striking twice.
Heorhiy Bushchan, the Dynamo goalkeeper, has 18 caps for the Ukrainian national team. And this explained why, a truly outstanding fingertip save to push Dessers’ glancing header wide of the post following a super Jefte cross.
The oft-maligned Dessers scored 22 goals in his debut season for a reason. Yes, he misses his fair share of chances. But continue to sling in crosses and the former Feyenoord man will get it right eventually.
He certainly did as the clock struck 94 at the Arena Lublin. As Jefte and fellow summer signing Vaclav Cerny combined, Dessers darted to the near post and converted with relatively seldom-seen composure.
Cyriel Dessers rescues Rangers at Dynamo Kiev
“Thoroughly deserved. Rangers have been pressing,” former Ibrox midfielder Derek Ferguson told the BBC Sport as Clement’s side picked up a result to take back to Scotland ahead of next Tuesday’s second-leg.
“There’s five or six players in the box, all attacking the ball coming in. Dynamo looked vulnerable from crossed balls. Dessers is on the move and it’s a great connection.
“He can’t miss from there – although he has done before!”
The £4.5 million signing from Cremonese continues to divide opinion. Many have urged Rangers to look at a replacement, Chris Sutton insisting after that Hearts stalemate that Tynecastle hitman Lawrence Shankland would be an upgrade in the number nine spot.
But even Dessers’ most vocal of critics would have to admit that the hard-running striker has come on leaps and bounds following that dismal start to life in Glasgow.
He looked incapable of hitting a barn door with a double bass, let alone a banjo, initially. By the time May rolled around, however, Dessers had exceeded the tally set by Alfredo Morelos in four of his six seasons as Rangers’ centre-forward.
“The first three or four months, Dessers was woeful. He was running offside, he didn’t look fit,” Ferguson adds. “But what you can’t question is his character.
“He’s like marmite, you either love or hate him. Sometimes, you can’t get it out your mind how poor he was at the start.
“He deserved his goal tonight, with his work rate and desire. Centre-forwards need that belief in themselves. Dessers has taken that criticism on the chin and he keeps coming back for more.”
Striker opens his account for the new season
Clement was equally effusive in his praise at full-time.
In addition to Dessers’ stoppage-time strike, the Belgian-born Nigeria international was excellent with his back to goal throughout.
“He played a really good game. He had a few good finishes but there was a really good goalkeeper on the other side, who also played for the national team of Ukraine,” Clement tells Rangers’ official YouTube channel.
“So, he kept on digging in, and he didn’t lose his belief in that way. He was there at the decisive moment. That’s what you want for a striker, that they never give up and keep on going.
“I see a player that the last seven months has developed a lot in many assets, because he wants to learn. He takes on every piece of information, and I only see him grow the last couple of months in several things that we discussed, that we trained, that we worked on. S
“So, I think we will get a lot out of him this season. He’s going to be very important for the squad in that way.”
