According to a report by PUNCH on October 27, 2026, Super Eagles forward Cyriel Dessers has called on Panathinaikos to improve their game management after recording a narrow 1-0 victory over Volos in the Greek Super League. The Nigerian international scored the decisive goal in the second half, finishing calmly after receiving a pass from Andrews Tetteh to secure all three points for his team.

Despite being pleased with the overall performance, Dessers believes Panathinaikos must become more efficient at closing out matches. The striker stressed that the team should aim to settle games earlier instead of allowing their opponents opportunities to recover and threaten their advantage.

The former Rangers attacker also rejected suggestions that fatigue was responsible for the team's temporary loss of control during the encounter. He maintained that the players were physically prepared and had performed well for most of the match before allowing Volos to become more dangerous.

In his words: “Those were not excuses. We were in control of the game for most of it. Only in one part in the second half did we lose control, we allowed our opponent to become more dangerous."

Dessers further explained that Panathinaikos needed to make better decisions whenever they encountered such situations. According to the striker, maintaining concentration and taking advantage of scoring opportunities would help the team avoid unnecessary pressure during the closing stages of matches.

The Nigerian forward also acknowledged Tetteh's important contribution to the winning goal. He appreciated the attacker's individual effort and quality of delivery, which created the opportunity for him to finish and give Panathinaikos the advantage.

Beyond the victory, Dessers admitted that his understanding with his teammates was still developing. Having played only a few matches alongside them, he recognised that the team needed more time together to establish stronger attacking combinations and improve their coordination in the final third.

Nevertheless, the striker expressed confidence that their partnership would continue to improve as they gained more experience playing together. He believes better movement and combinations around the opposition's penalty area could create additional scoring opportunities and make Panathinaikos more difficult to defend against.

Dessers' return from injury has provided encouragement for both the player and his club. Following his recovery earlier in the campaign, the Super Eagles forward will be eager to maintain his scoring form, strengthen his connection with his teammates and help Panathinaikos achieve their objectives in domestic and European competitions.