Super Eagles forward Cyriel Dessers and Senegalese youngster Abdallah Sima both starred in the Europa League on Thursday night as Rangers beat Real Betis 3-2 to top Group C.
Dessers opened his European account for Rangers and also provided an assist, and Sima got the Scottish side’s opener as Rangers won their five-goal thriller away at the Benito Villamarín Stadium to progress to the round of 16 at the expense of Betis.
FULL-TIME: Real Betis 2-3 Rangers | #UEL
RANGERS ????
Top of Group C ???? pic.twitter.com/ZwjOBy7Wuc
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) December 14, 2023
22-year-old Sima got the Gers in front early on in the tenth minute. The Brighton and Hove Albion loanee placed his strike into the bottom corner after being teed up by Dessers.
Betis leveled proceedings four minutes later through Spanish fullback Juan Miranda, who finished off a one-on-one against Jack Butland after receiving a well-weighted pass from compatriot Borja Iglesias.
After a couple of scares from Betis, with Hector Bellerin denied by Butland and Andres Guardado crashing the bar, Dessers got Rangers back in front with a brilliant goal on the 20th minute mark. The Super Eagles forward used his tricky feet to beat Marc Roca before beating Rui Silva with his effort.
⚽️ @Sima_Abdalah & @CyrielDessers with two brilliant goals. pic.twitter.com/AhAIzpiVWD
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) December 14, 2023
The first half continued to provide exhilarating action, with Betis drawing level once more through former Leicester City forward Ayoze Perez. The 30-year-old Spaniard curled in a beautiful effort from the left from a pass from Isco, who looked inspired all through the game.
Senegalese-born Spain U21 winger Assane Diao came close to completing the comeback for Betis, but he was unlucky as his header hit the bar, the second time in the game for the Spaniards.
Five minutes after the hour mark, Dessers came off for Jamaican international Kemar Roofe. The 30-year-old eventually got the winning goal, poking the ball home from close range after a goalmouth melee.
The victory was Ranger’s first in 14 attempts against the Spanish opposition in European competition, as they finished with eleven points after six matches.
Betis, on the other hand, finished with nine points, and they failed to make it out of a European League group stage for the first time as they dropped into the Conference League play-off round.
