Glasgow Rangers faced off against Benfica in a tense Europa League round of 16 second leg clash on Thursday, with Nigerian forward Cyriel Dessers taking the field for the Scottish side.

Despite a valiant effort from Dessers and his teammates, Rangers succumbed to a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat against the Portuguese giants, sealing their exit from the tournament.

The decisive moment came in the second half when Benfica’s Rafa Silva found the back of the net against the run of play, securing their passage to the quarter-finals.

Throughout the match, Rangers struggled to create clear-cut opportunities, with Dessers notably limited to just four touches in the first half.

Although he showed signs of improvement after the break, the Nigerian forward was eventually substituted off in the 76th minute.

Despite a late surge from Rangers, including a promising chance for Dessers early in the second half that narrowly missed the target, they were unable to find the equalizer.

A near-miss from a James Tavernier cross further added to their frustrations as the ball agonizingly rolled wide.

With their European campaign now over, Rangers will now shift their focus back to domestic competitions as they aim to secure silverware this season.