By Daniel Edu

Rangers FC’s manager, Michael Beale, has come to the defense of Cyriel Dessers, the Nigerian forward of the Super Eagles, following a challenging league debut on Monday, August 14th.

Dessers, who was acquired by Rangers from Cremonese for a substantial £4.5 million transfer fee, encountered difficulty finding the net during his inaugural league match, despite being positioned as the team’s frontman.

While Dessers did contribute to the team’s opening goal, he faced missed opportunities and struggled to make a significant impact. Consequently, the coach opted to substitute him in the 71st minute, allowing Brazilian forward Danilo to take over the center-forward position.

As Dessers exited the pitch, a portion of the Rangers fans expressed their dissatisfaction with boos, indicating their disappointment in his performance.

During the game, Rangers were leading 1-0 thanks to Sam Lammers’ early goal, and shortly after Dessers’ substitution, Danilo added a second goal. Within the subsequent 15 minutes, the team scored two more goals, ultimately concluding the match with a dominant 4-0 victory, with Abdellah Sima and Kieran Dowell contributing to the scoreline.

Addressing the criticism directed at Cyriel Dessers, Coach Beale emphasized the forward’s recent positive achievements, highlighting his first goal for the team during the Champions League qualification triumph over Servette, just a week before his league debut. Beale expressed confidence in Dessers’ ability to thrive within the team despite the initial challenges he faced.

Furthermore, Beale shed light on the circumstances affecting Dessers’ performance, noting his recovery from a lack of preseason and an injury that had kept him sidelined for the final two months of the previous season. Beale also underscored the team’s high expectations for its athletes and their determination to succeed.