Chrisantus Uche and Crystal Palace survived a dramatic late scare in their EFL Cup encounter, as Millwall forced penalties with a last-gasp equaliser.
Despite a goalless first half, the match came alive in the final 20 minutes before the Premier League side edged through in a tense shootout.
In the first half, Millwall effectively keep Crystal Palace at bay, limiting their chances and breaking up play.
Palace enjoyed 54% ball possession and registered 17 total shots, six of which were on target.
They also created four big chances, completed 417 passes, and won two corners.
Millwall, on the other hand, managed eight shots with three on target, created two big chances of their own, completed 318 passes, and also had two corners.
Crystal Palace broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute through substitute Chris Richards.
However, Millwall had the last say in regular time as Ryan Leonard, also off the bench, grabbed a dramatic equaliser with the final kick of the game.
With the match ending 1-1, it went straight to penalties, where Walter Benitez emerged as the hero.
The Palace goalkeeper saved crucial penalties from Tristan Crama and Aidomo Emakhu.
Palace converted all four of their spot-kicks, advancing without needing the services of Steven Benda in goal.
One of the standout performers of the night was Nigerian midfielder, Chrisantus Uche.
Despite only featuring for 45 minutes, the versatile youngster delivered an impressive performance.
He completed 100% of his dribbles, made three passes into the final third, delivered one accurate long ball, and completed 11 passes in total.
Defensively, he was just as effective—making one tackle, recovering the ball twice, winning five ground duels, and posting a perfect record in aerial duels.
It remains puzzling why Oliver Glasner has opted not to start Uche in Palace’s last two fixtures, especially in a competition like the EFL Cup where players get the chance to prove themselves.
Uche, capable of playing as a striker or anywhere across midfield, has shown he possesses the quality and versatility to make a meaningful impact.
