Glasgow Rangers secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over USG in their final match of the Europa League group stage. Having to rely on results going their way elsewhere in order to seal a place as one of the top eight sides in the group stage, the Ibrox side endured a nervy evening.
A top-eight finish was secured, and it means Philippe Clement’s side will go straight through to the round of 16, avoiding a playoff tie.
Avoiding the playoff round was the main aim ahead of the tie and the Gers delivered on the night. James Tavernier delivered a stunning cross into the box, finding Nicolas Raskin at the back post, who scored a rare header.
Ten minutes into the second half, Cyriel Dessers went on a positive run down the left flank before laying the ball off to Vaclav Cerny, who slotted home what turned out to be the winner.
The game finished 2-1 and the Czech winger was once again a bright spark on the European stage.
Vaclav Cerny’s game in numbers vs USG
When fit and on form, Cerny is arguably the best player in the Rangers squad, proving this so often during the current campaign.
He looked bright from the off against USG, willing to take the ball deep into the final third, while cutting in often. Along with his goal, the winger registered three shots, succeeded with two of his three dribbles, hit the woodwork with a fizzing effort in the second half and delivered two crosses.
Statistic
Highest-Ranked
Accurate passes
Kevin Mac Allister (55)
Key passes
Charles Vanhoutte (5)
Touches
Kevin Mac Allister (86)
Tackles
Kevin Mac Allister (7)
Ground duels won
Noah Sadiki, Ross Sykes and Ousseynou Niang (8)
The 27-year-old may have lost possession ten times while winning just two of his eight duels, but there was no doubting his quality in the opposition half.
As good as he was, Dessers was perhaps even better.
How Cyriel Dessers stole the show vs USG
The Nigerian striker has been linked with a move away from Glasgow throughout the current January transfer window, but may this performance keep him at Ibrox?
The 35-touch dynamo was vibrant throughout his time on the pitch, looking motivated to make things happen. Indeed, he registered three total shots, but couldn’t get on the scoresheet.
He was certainly full of running, attempting four dribbles, succeeding with two, while he also made four key passes and created a big chance, showcasing how involved he actually was for the club.
Defensively, the experienced centre-forward won 50% of his total duels contested and made one tackle, but the supporters will remember how vital he was in the opponent’s half on the night.
If Dessers played like this every game, the Ibrox faithful would have taken to him a lot quicker. He does appear to have found a rich vein of form, after netting in each of his last two league games, as well as in last week’s defeat away at Old Trafford. Could this be the catalyst for him to enjoy a more productive final few months of the season?
Only time will tell, but the magnitude of the result and qualifying straight through to the last-16 should give everyone a major boost, that’s for sure.
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