Super Eagles striker Cyriel Dessers proved pivotal for Rangers as his goal secured a narrow 2-1 victory against St Mirren, allowing Rangers to stay in contention for the Scottish Premiership title.
In a crucial match for Philippe Clement’s side, they needed a win to keep pace with leaders Celtic. Despite a tense start, Rangers took the lead when James Bolton deflected the ball into his net.
St Mirren responded quickly, with Mikael Mandron’s header hitting the post before finding the net to level the score. However, Rangers regained their composure, and with 15 minutes remaining, Dessers rose to head home the decisive goal.
The victory halted Rangers’ potential four-game winless streak in the league, ensuring they remain competitive for a domestic treble after their recent Scottish Cup semi-final triumph over Hearts.
Meanwhile, St Mirren’s struggles continue, as they suffered their sixth consecutive defeat against Rangers and remain winless in their last five games. Despite this setback, they hold onto their position ahead of Dundee in the race for a European place.
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: “We had a lot of chances to win the game, never mind get a point out of it, and they showed great quality.
“The frustration is the two goals – they were both very much avoidable. I think we’ve got the talent in the football club to get more out of these games.”
Rangers manager Philippe Clement: “A very important three points and again it shows the mentality of this team.
“It is maybe not our best game of the season, but the team showed a lot of character, a lot of resilience, a lot of belief also when it was 1-1 to go for the second goal and also to go for a third.
“We need to continue this in our next four finals in the league – and the final in the cup.”
