UEFA Champions League playoffs: Dessers reflects on Rangers’ draw against PSV ahead of return leg

Cyriel Dessers has scored 2 goals and registered two assists in 6 appearances for Rangers after joining the club from Italian side Cremonese on a £5.5m move this summer

Cyriel Dessers believes there is all to play for in Eindhoven next week after Rangers and PSV settled for a 2-2 draw in their UEFA Champions League play-off first leg tie at Ibrox Stadium on Tuesday night, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Gers took the lead on two occasions through Abdallah Sima and Rabbi Matondo but were pegged back by the Dutch side with nothing to separate the teams ahead of next week’s second leg

On the stroke of halftime, Senegalese forward Abdallah Sima gave Rangers the lead after he curled a perfect strike into the top right corner.

With half an hour of the game remaining, PSV equalized through Ibrahim Sangare’s right-footed strike after reacting first to a cross from Johan Bakayoko. Rangers were ahead again with 14 minutes left in the game when Rabbi Matondo finished off a perfect pass swung into the box by Cyriel Dessers.

But PSV restored parity just five minutes later, a corner was swung into the box by Bakayoko which met the head of the captain Luuk De Jong and he headed home to ensure the tie is finely poised ahead of next week’s return leg.

FULL-TIME: Rangers 2-2 PSV

All level at Ibrox in the first-leg of our #UCL play-off. pic.twitter.com/EDRniMJBeb

— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) August 22, 2023

Speaking after the game Dessers believes that not losing the first leg at home has given his side a positive result to take to Philips Stadion next Wednesday.

He said: We have to take the positives from the game, and I’m sure we will. There is everything to play for next week, it’s the same scenario as last year so let’s hope we can have the same outcome, The Nigeria international told RangersTV

There was some mixed feelings, it wasn’t an easy game for us, this is a good team. I think overall we played a decent match; we had our moments. When you score two at home against a good team you feel like you deserve more but that’s football and there is everything to play for next week.

The Super Eagles striker also praised the support from the home team and hopes the players can bring more special feelings to Ibrox Stadium by qualifying for the group stage in the  Netherlands next week.

He added: I have heard a lot about European nights at Ibrox before I came here, I had the game against Servette that was already really impressive but tonight was special. I was speaking with some of the guys from PSV, some ex-teammates, and they said the same they said the atmosphere tonight was unbelievable. 

As a player when you feel this energy in the stadium then you can keep going so I hope we can give our fans more Champions League evenings like this, Dessers concluded 

Dessers and Rangers must first settle a business with Ross County in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday before finding a way to beat PSV next Wednesday in Eindhoven.