Super Eagles striker Cyriel Dessers made a dream return from injury, scoring the decisive goal as Panathinaikos defeated CSKA Sofia 2-1 in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers.
Dessers was introduced in the second half, replacing North Macedonia forward Elmin Rastoder, as Panathinaikos looked to secure their passage to the next round after the first leg in Greece ended 1-1.
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The Nigerian wasted little time making his return count, eventually finding the winner in extra time after the tie remained level at 1-1 at the end of regulation time.
Dessers capitalised on an error from the CSKA Sofia goalkeeper before calmly slotting the ball into the net to give the Greek side a crucial 2-1 victory.
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The result secured a 3-2 aggregate win for Panathinaikos and booked their place in the next round of the competition.
For Dessers, the goal provided the perfect response to a lengthy spell on the sidelines and marked his first appearance for Panathinaikos since the previous campaign.
The 31-year-old last featured for the Greek club in their 2-1 victory over Volos NFC on 14 December, 2025, before linking up with the Super Eagles ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
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He subsequently spent 240 days recovering from injury, making his return against CSKA Sofia a significant moment in his bid to regain full fitness.
Dessers joined Panathinaikos from Rangers last summer and will now hope his goalscoring return can provide the platform for a strong run of form for the remainder of the 2026/27 campaign.
After enduring months away from competitive action, the Super Eagles forward could hardly have asked for a better way to announce his comeback.
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