Crystal Palace coach Oliver Glasner hails Nigeria’s Christantus Uche after standout display in win over Shelbourne

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has heaped praise on Nigerian international Christantus Uche following his eye-catching display in the club’s heavy away win over Shelbourne in the Europa Conference League.

Making his full debut, the Super Eagles midfielder delivered an outstanding performance as the Eagles cruised to an emphatic 3-0 away win at the Tallaght Stadium.

The 22-year-old forward struck in the 11th minute after being set up by English-Ghanaian attacker Eddie Nketiah.

Uche was also involved in Crystal Palace’s second goal of the match when Yeremy Pino played him through and his chip hit the post, allowing Nketiah to tap in. Pino added another before halftime to seal the win in Dublin.

“Christantus deserved it. He showed up against Fulham. He showed he can help us, and he can score goals. This might be the starting moment for him at Crystal Palace,” Glasner told TNT Sports.

“For strikers, goals are always important. All three who played up front scored today, so hopefully this gives him confidence. It was a good performance from him.”

The goal is Uche’s first in ten games since joining on loan from Getafe. His strong showing offers a confidence boost despite missing out on Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The forward, who arrived with huge expectations, has yet to hit the ground running for the Premier League outfit. Having ended his goal drought, Uche will be hoping to maintain momentum in his quest to score more goals for the club.