Despite being left out of Augustine Eguavoen’s squad for Nigeria’s November international fixtures, Cyriel Dessers had every reason to celebrate on Thursday. The Rangers striker delivered a standout performance, scoring the crucial equalizer that helped his team secure a vital away point against Olympiacos at the iconic Stadio Georgios Karaiskáki in Greece.

The 29-year-old, who had been without a goal in eight consecutive games until his recent strike against Motherwell in the Scottish Cup semi-final, capitalized on this newfound confidence by producing a moment of brilliance. Dessers’ instinctive goal to level the score against Olympiacos demonstrated not only his resilience but also his calmness under pressure.

“In moments like this, it’s like you’re on a highway and things go by really fast,” Dessers explained post-game. “I had a nice drop, let him slide, picked a corner, and then put the ball there. It was instinct, and I’m really happy with the goal.”

With Rangers currently ranked 10th in the Europa League group standings and facing tough matches against Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, Dessers’ renewed form couldn’t come at a better time. He emphasized the importance of this result in building the team’s confidence for the challenges ahead.

“We know Olympiacos are a very good team, and securing a point in such a special atmosphere is huge for us,” he said. “With seven points from our games, we can be happy. This performance should give us confidence and hope that qualification to the next round is within reach.”

For Rangers and Dessers, the road in Europe remains challenging, but this draw might just be the catalyst they need to keep pushing forward.