Nigerian internationals Leon Balogun and Cyril Dessers, were both among the goalscorers as Rangers romped to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Aberdeen in the Scottish Premier League on Wednesday.
Philippe Clement’s side who have been under criticism for their poor performances, came into the encounter on the back of one win in their previous three league games, and sealed out a dominant win as they reduced the gap to league leaders Celtic to 13 points.
The Gers took an early lead through striker Hamza Igamane, who slotted in the opener inside 13 minutes to ease off early pressure. Balogun who had recently returned from an injury lay-off and started the game on the bench, came on as a second half substitute in the 75th minute for Robin Propper, who was forced off with injury.
Former Cremonese striker Dessers, who had been displaced from the starting lineup by Igamane since December, came on in the 89th minute as Ranger looked to close out the game.
In stoppage time, Super Eagles center-back Balogun who had earlier struck the post with a header, doubled Rangers advantage with a powerful header from a Clinton Nsiala’s cross, for his first goal of the season.
Dessers, who was on a six-game goal drought and has been recently linked with a move away from the club due to limited playing time, scored a curling shot to seal out the win.
The Super Eagles stars will hope their eye-catching performances are enough to seal a return to the starting lineup, ahead of the Gers next game against Fraserburgh in the Scottish cup fourth round on Sunday.
Shina Oludare is a distinguished sports journalist and managing editor, renowned for his comprehensive coverage of African football. His dedication to elevating African sports on the global stage has earned him widespread respect, along with numerous accolades for his contributions. A graduate of the LaLiga Business School in Madrid, Oludare’s passion for sports and his influential work in African football journalism have established him as a leading figure in the industry.
