Cyriel Dessers’ dramatic 93rd-minute strike completed an astonishing turnaround for Rangers, who clawed back from two goals down to claim a seven-goal Scottish Premiership thriller against Dundee.
Barry Ferguson’s side trailed 3-1 with just 15 minutes remaining, but stunning long-range efforts from captain James Tavernier and substitute Tom Lawrence pulled them level before Dessers finally found the net after multiple earlier misses.
Both teams entered the contest riding high from recent derby victories, but it was Tony Docherty’s Dundee who set the tone early, with Simon Murray deftly guiding home a finish from a corner inside two minutes.
Rangers then endured a nightmare spell as Dessers squandered two golden opportunities before Joe Shaughnessy bundled in after a calamitous error from goalkeeper Jack Butland, leaving the visitors 2-0 down for the fifth time in seven games.
Dundee thought they had added a third when Finlay Robertson found the net, only for it to be ruled out for a foul in the build-up. Rangers were handed a lifeline when Shaughnessy inadvertently turned a Tavernier cross into his own goal.
However, any hope of a comeback seemed to be extinguished when Scott Tiffoney unleashed a thunderous strike from 20 yards to restore Dundee’s two-goal advantage, moments after Dessers was denied by VAR for a marginal offside.
Yet, Rangers refused to lie down. Tavernier and Lawrence both drilled in sensational goals within six minutes, setting up a frantic finale. And just when it seemed the points would be shared, Dessers sent the away fans into pandemonium by lofting a close-range finish over goalkeeper Trevor Carson.
Dundee captain Murray almost had the last word, rattling the post in stoppage time, but Docherty’s side—who had seemed destined for three points—were left empty-handed and remain 11th in the table.
Dessers: A Striker Like No Other
Dessers continues to defy description. He registered a staggering 12 shots at Dens Park—the highest tally for any Premiership player this season.
All 12 came inside the box, with nine hitting the target. And that doesn’t even include his disallowed goal.
Ultimately, he saved the most important one for the 93rd minute. It was a performance that showcased both the best and worst of the Nigerian forward. His finishing needs to be more clinical, but his resilience is unquestionable.
Rangers, however, cannot afford to keep falling two goals behind. It could have been even worse, with Dundee’s Tiffoney missing a gilt-edged chance and Oluwaseun Adewumi rattling the post.
Still, Ferguson has instilled a fighting spirit in this team. Recent performances suggest they have developed a knack for responding to adversity.
Dundee’s Defensive Frailties Must Be Fixed
Dundee are undeniably entertaining—but for all the wrong reasons from Docherty’s perspective.
Only Celtic and Rangers have scored more goals in the Premiership this season, yet Dundee have conceded a league-high 67—10 more than bottom-side St Johnstone.
With attacking threats like Murray, Tiffoney, and Adewumi, this squad should be comfortably in the top half. But their defensive frailties continue to haunt them.
If they don’t address these issues in the season’s final stretch, they could find themselves in real trouble.
