Cyriel Dessers’ dramatic stoppage-time strike gave Rangers a last-gasp 4-3 win
over Dundee in an enthralling Premiership encounter at Dens Park.
Darkish Blues striker Simon Murray scored after solely two minutes and captain Joe Shaughnessy added a second within the nineteenth minute in opposition to the disjointed guests.
Interim boss Barry Ferguson’s facet have been handed a lifeline when Shaughnessy scored an personal purpose simply earlier than the break, with Dessers, making his one centesimal aggressive look for Rangers, having missed a collection of possibilities.
Ahead Scott Tiffoney made it 3-1 within the 62nd minute and all of the factors staying at residence however Rangers skipper James Tavernier diminished the deficit within the 76th minute earlier than substitute Tom Lawrence dramatically levelled 5 minutes later with one other fantastic strike.
And within the third minute of stoppage time, Dessers demonstrated his never-say-die perspective when he nipped in to attain the winner and full a outstanding recreation.
Rangers, with attacker Hamza Igamane in for the injured Vaclav Cerny, had been surprised when the house facet raced into an early lead.
Finlay Robertson, who took over from injured midfielder Lyall Cameron who’s Ibrox-bound in the summertime, curled in a nook in from the proper and Murray bought in entrance of Tavernier and volleyed previous Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland.
Dundee’s Simon Murray celebrates his purpose with Finlay Robertson
Ferguson’s facet seemed bereft, with any entry into their penalty space a possible drawback, however within the sixteenth minute Dessers was despatched clear by a Mohamed Diomande header just for his low drive to be blocked by the legs of keeper Trevor Carson and the house facet defended the nook.
Extra calamitous defending by Rangers which started with Igamane failing to clear his strains following a set-piece ended with Butland fumbling a header from Shaughnessy, then saving from Murray who was additionally unmarked, earlier than the Irishman knocked the unfastened ball in on the second try. A VAR examine for offside confirmed the purpose.
Robertson then blasted a shot previous Butland however referee David Dickinson had already blown for a foul by Josh Mulligan on Yilmaz, to the reduction of the beleaguered Rangers gamers and supporters.
The Ibrox facet ultimately perked up.
Carson saved from Igamane’s long-range drive then made a greater save from Dessers’ header from the next nook however Rangers bought a break within the forty third minute when Shaughnessy sliced Tavernier’s cross from deep on the proper excessive into his personal internet from 12 yards.
Carson saved twice extra from Dessers because the Gentle Blues completed the half strongly though Ferguson made interval modifications, with Ianis Hagi and Bailey Rice changing Connor Barron and Leon Balogun making certain a return to a again 4.
The sport sped from finish to finish.
Tiffoney in some way missed from a few yards from a Mulligan cross minutes later earlier than Dessers ultimately had the ball within the Dundee internet after rounding Carson just for VAR to rule offside.
Dessers headed Tavernier’s cross over from shut vary however Dundee’s Oluwaseun Adewumi additionally missed a few possibilities, lacking the goal from a Murray cutback then lobbing excessive over the bar when by way of in opposition to Butland.
Scott Tiffoney celebrates as he scores to make it 3-1
Nonetheless, the Taysiders restored their lead when Tiffoney sped into the Rangers field previous substitute Jefte – on for Yilmaz – and fired previous Butland, subsequently making amends for his earlier horror miss.
Tavernier’s fantastic drive from the sting of the field which beat Carson and when Lawrence, on for Diomande, rifled low previous Carson from 25 yards it was all sq. – however extra drama was imminent.
Rangers’ Cyriel Dessers celebrates with Hamza Igamane
Murray smashed a shot in opposition to Butland’s submit in stoppage time earlier than Dessers took benefit of hesitancy within the Dundee defence on the different finish to ship the Rangers followers into raptures – and there was nonetheless time for Carson to make two extra saves from the striker.
Dessers: It was a rollercoaster recreation
Rangers purpose hero Cyriel Dessers to Sky Sports activities:
“I’m still trying to find out what just happened!
“From the primary minute till the 92nd minute it was a rollercoaster, and it was a number of ache for 91 minutes, however then, yeah, to win this feels good.
“This team, the mentality of not giving up, shows again – unfortunately we have to show it too much – how good we are at coming back.
“It might be quite a bit simpler if we give the primary punch they usually have to come back.”
Ferguson: We never gave in
Rangers interim boss Barry Ferguson to Sky Sports:
“My ideas are I am actually pleased with the three factors, however general I’ve seen so many elderly habits creep in.
“I just had a word with them about it and I’m not going to allow that to happen.
“It is one thing we have to work on. We have a full week now and that is one thing that me, my workers and the gamers will undergo.
“There were stages in the game that I was a bit baffled at times, but one thing I will say about them was that they showed character again. They never gave in.”
