Cyriel Dessers scored his first Old Firm goal at Ibrox on Sunday as Rangers played out a 1-1 draw with Celtic in a fiercely contested Scottish Premiership clash.
The Nigerian international opened the scoring in the first half, marking his 25th goal of the season for Barry Ferguson’s side. Speaking after the match, Dessers described the moment as an “unbelievable feeling” and a personal milestone he had long awaited.
“Scoring in an Old Firm derby at Ibrox is something special,” he told Rangers TV. “Last season, I had a similar goal that was disallowed.
To finally see one count today, especially in such a high-stakes game, is incredible.”
Dessers praised the build-up play that led to the goal, calling it a “beautiful team goal” and crediting teammates Diomande and Vaclav for their involvement in the move.
The well-worked attack highlighted the cohesion within the Rangers squad, something the striker believes has developed steadily throughout the season.
Despite the euphoria of his goal, Dessers admitted to feeling slightly disappointed with the final result. “When you’re leading at Ibrox in an Old Firm, the pressure is always there to hold on to it,” he said.
“We worked hard throughout, but we had moments in the second half where we could have done more with the counter-attacks. That’s something we’ll have to look at.”
The result brings Rangers’ total haul from their four meetings with Celtic this season to seven points, a respectable return in a rivalry often defined by narrow margins.
However, Dessers was quick to acknowledge that the title wasn’t lost in these derby fixtures.
“If you want to win the league, you can’t just focus on the Old Firm games,” he noted. “We dropped too many points elsewhere, and that’s where we fell short. Consistency is key, and that’s what we’ll need to improve next season.”
Rangers remain in contention to finish the campaign strongly, and Dessers is keen for the squad to remain focused as the final rounds approach.
With the title slipping away, he urged the team to end the season with professionalism and determination.
“There have been ups and downs this year, but we still have a responsibility to our fans and to ourselves,” he said. “We have to finish on a high and carry that momentum into next season.”
Dessers’ performance, and his growing goal tally, has been one of the bright spots for Rangers in a campaign marked by inconsistency.
The 29-year-old has proven a reliable presence up front and continues to be a pivotal figure in Ferguson’s attacking setup.
With just a few matches remaining, Rangers will look to solidify their place near the top of the table and build confidence ahead of the next campaign.
For Dessers, the memory of scoring in one of football’s most iconic derbies will remain a defining highlight of his season.
