Dessers double helps holders Rangers into Premier Sports Cup semi-finals

Cyriel Dessers struck twice as Rangers celebrated their long-awaited return to Ibrox with a 3-0 Premier Sports Cup quarter-final win over Dundee.

The Light Blues had played their home games at Hampden Park due to the delayed refurbishment of the Copland Stand, which was still not completely open for the visit of the Taysiders, who went behind after 18 minutes to a strike from Dessers.

Rangers skipper James Tavernier doubled that lead from the penalty spot five minutes into the second half before Dessers grabbed his second in the 66th minute – his seventh goal in nine appearances this season – to confirm the holders’ place in the last-four draw.

Philippe Clement had made a lot of Rangers returning home for the first time since May 14 when they beat Dundee 5-2 in the league but the visitors coped well enough until Dessers got the breakthrough.

Brazilian wide-man Jefte sent Nedim Bajrami, making his first Rangers start, scampering down the left and when the Nigeria forward connected sweetly with his low cross, Dundee goalkeeper Trevor Carson cleared with his foot.

Gers right-back Tavernier ran onto the loose ball and drove back towards goal where Dessers neatly redirected the ball into the net from 10 yards.

Dundee had offered little going forward until the 25th minute when striker Simon Murray’s drive was blocked by keeper Jack Butland, albeit the offside flag was up.

The visitors became emboldened and Butland had to rush from his goal to thwart winger Oluwaseun Adewumi who had raced onto a defence-splitting pass from Mohamed Sylla, which acted as another warning to the home defence.

In the 35th minute Dessers took a pass from Bajrami and did well to work a yard of space for himself inside the Dundee box under pressure from defender Antonio Portales but again Carson blocked with his foot and he then saved an acrobatic effort from the Gers striker just before the break.

Midfielder Mohamed Diomande took over from Dujon Sterling for the start of the second half, where Rangers soon found themselves two goals clear.

Sylla hauled Dessers to the ground inside the box from a corner, the Dundee player having no complaints when referee Chris Graham pointed to the spot then booked him, with Tavernier slamming the penalty past Carson for his first goal of the season.

It was Butland’s turn to make a crucial save minutes later, brilliantly parrying a close-range header from Murray after the home side had failed to deal with a Dundee corner.

As the Govan side threatened again, Bajrami forced another great save from Carson with a drive with the former St Mirren and Motherwell keeper pushing a curling shot from Vaclav Cerny away from danger shortly afterwards.

Dundee substitute Seb Palmer-Houlden missed a great chance when he headed Lyall Cameron’s cross over the bar from eight yards and that miss was compounded when Dessers confidently volleyed in a cross from Bajrami in the 66th minute, before making way for Hamza Igamane, with Ross McCausland on for Cerny.

There was more frustration for Dundee when a mistake from Tavernier allowed Scott Tiffoney an opportunity but Butland blocked his shot.

There was time for new signing Neraysho Kasanwirjo to make his debut as replacement for Tavernier and time for the home side to create and miss several chances to add gloss to the scoreline, with Igamane having at least three attempts on his own.