Super Eagles forward, Cyriel Dessers came to the rescue for Rangers on Thursday night, securing a crucial 1-1 draw against Olympiacos in Piraeus during their UEFA Europa League clash.
Moroccan international Ayoub El Kaabi had opened the scoring for the Greek side just before the hour mark, putting Olympiacos ahead.
However, just minutes later, Dessers responded with a well-timed equalizer in the 64th minute to level the game.
The goal comes on the heels of another omission from Nigeria’s national team roster.
Interim coach Augustine Eguavoen recently named a 23-man squad for Nigeria’s final Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda, and once again, Dessers was left out.
This is not the first snub, as the forward was also overlooked for the September and October qualifiers despite his impressive form at Rangers.
Instead of calling up Dessers, Eguavoen opted for Kelechi Iheanacho and Umar Sadiq—both of whom have faced challenges in maintaining consistent form this season.
Iheanacho has managed only two goals recently in the Copa del Rey and has spent much of the season on the bench, while Sadiq has recorded no goals and only one assist.
Meanwhile, Dessers has been in strong form, tallying nine goals and three assists so far this season.
His consistent performance has raised questions about why the 29-year-old forward, who has only six caps and two goals for Nigeria—all in friendly matches—isn’t being given more opportunities with the national team.
With World Cup Qualifiers on the horizon, many fans wonder: does Cyriel Dessers deserve a call-up? His form suggests it may be time to give him a chance.