Cyriel Dessers has backed Rangers team-mate Rabbi Matondo to push on and make a further impact against PSV after scoring an “unbelievable” goal in the first leg.

Second-half substitute Matondo converted past Walter Benitez after being played in by Dessers to put Rangers 2-1 up at Ibrox last Tuesday [22 August], only for Luuk de Jong to level up the Champions League play-off tie at 2-2.

Matondo struggled to make any real impact in his first season in Glasgow, but Dessers has been impressed by what he has seen so far since joining in the summer.

“If you saw Rabbi on Tuesday night, his first goal for Rangers, that is a real achievement for him and I hope this gets him started,” Dessers is quoted as saying by The Herald.

“He is a really good player. He can offer a lot to the team and I hope this is a new beginning and he can keep scoring.

“It was an unbelievable finish and I thought he was going to score a second one because he hit it really, really well. He can save it for [this] week!”

Major turnaround

One of the biggest selection calls Michael Beale has to make ahead of the second leg at Philips Stadion on Wednesday [30 August] is whether to start Matondo or not.

The Wales international’s two best performances this season – versus Livingston and Rangers – have come via the substitutes’ bench, so it will likely be that he is used as an impact player once again.

Still, the fact he is even being talked about as a possible starter for such a massive game is an achievement in itself for the Wales international, who failed to score in 24 Scottish Premiership and Champions League appearances last season.

Matondo is now making an impact in the final third and looks to have struck up a good connection with Dessers, as highlighted in the first leg against PSV.

The signs are certainly promising for the future, and Matondo will be hoping he has a chance to kick on by being selected for the Gers’ crunch European clash in midweek.

In other Rangers news, Dessers has also shared why he believes his side now have a “massive advantage” ahead of their return leg with PSV.

This article was originally posted here