His time has come — Palace boss Glasner Praises snubbed Super Eagles star Uche after first goal

Chrisantus Uche opened his account for Crystal Palace, scoring in a dominant 3-0 victory over Shelbourne in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday.

Uche, who is on loan at Selhurst Park, had been limited to nine substitute appearances before the match in Dublin.

His lack of consistent playing time contributed to his omission from Nigeria's recently announced 28-man squad for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

However, the midfielder seized his opportunity, opening the scoring just 11 minutes into the game. He confidently converted a precise pass from Eddie Nketiah, who had found space on the left flank.

Uche was also pivotal in Palace's second goal, hitting the post with a clever shot before Nketiah was on hand to score from the rebound.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the win, Glasner praised the synergy of his attacking players and gave special recognition to Uche's contribution.

"For the strikers, the most important thing is always scoring goals, but he also assisted one," Glasner said. "Eddie hit the post, Eddie scored one and Jeremy scored one, so all three who played upfront scored a goal and assisted each other."

The manager emphasized that Uche had earned his place in the starting lineup. "That's how it should be; this gives them confidence. It was time for Uche, he deserved it. He showed up against Fulham, and that's why he deserved it."

The Austrian coach expressed his satisfaction with Uche's full debut, suggesting it could be a turning point for the midfielder's career at the club.

"He also showed that he can help us and can score goals," Glasner added. "That’s why it was a very good outing for him. Maybe the starting moment at Crystal Palace."