Super Eagles striker, Cyriel Dessers, was instrumental in Rangers’ emphatic 3-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday night, netting a goal and providing an assist in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round first leg clash at Ibrox.
The Nigerian forward started the game and played until the 73rd minute, while his compatriot, Rafiu Durosinmi, came off the bench for the Czech side in the 65th minute.
Dessers played a key role in the opener, setting up Djeidi Gassama in the 15th minute. After receiving a pass, Dessers calmly laid it off to Gassama, who took a touch before slotting past the goalkeeper.
The second goal came just before halftime, with Dessers stepping up from the penalty spot.
After new signing Oliver Antman was brought down in the box by Matej Vydra, the Nigerian sent the keeper the wrong way from 12 yards to double Rangers’ lead.
Rangers sealed their dominance early in the second half as Gassama struck again in the 51st minute, his fourth goal in the qualifiers, heading home to give the Scottish side a comfortable cushion ahead of next week’s return leg in the Czech Republic.
The winner of the tie between Rangers and Plzen will go on to face either Red Bull Salzburg of Austria or Belgium’s Club Brugge in the playoff round for a place in the UEFA Champions League group stage.