Iheancho scores as Man City thrash Crystal Palace 5-1

In from Nifemi Daniel . . . .
Newly invited Super Eagles attacking midfielder, Kelechi Iheanacho Wednesday night shone brightly like the star he is as he scored a goal and made an assist as Manchester City destroyed Crystal Palace 5-1 in a Capital One Cup match.
Kelechi who came off the bench to score his first City goal against Crystal Palace last month, has been penciled down by Coach Sunday Oliseh for Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Swaziland next month.
Wilfred Bony has struggled for form and fitness since his £25m January arrival from Swansea, with a summer bout of malaria doing little to help him settle at the Etihad, but his header was his third goal in four games and perhaps a sign of his growing confidence in a City shirt.
Iheanacho, meanwhile, clearly has no confidence issues judging by his energetic and tenacious display.
The 19-year-old’s pace was a constant threat and it was his work down the inside right channel on 44 minutes which unlocked the door for De Bruyne to make it 2-0 and put the game beyond Palace.

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Having burst to the byline, Iheanacho pulled the ball back for De Bruyne who took his tally to six goals in 11 games by arriving at the far post to tap home from close range.
With a home game against Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday, it appeared that Palace were ready to sacrifice their cup ambitions in order to conserve energies for league commitments.
Usually such a combative opponent, Palace offered meek resistance in the second-half and it was a surprise that City had to wait until the 59th minute before Iheanacho made it 3-0 with a left-foot strike from De Bruyne’s pass.
The home side, who lost Pablo Zabaleta to a worrying knee injury, then made it 4-0 from the penalty spot on 75 minutes after Yaya Toure scored following Damien Delaney’s foul on Eliaquim Mangala.
Delaney made amends by heading a consolation for Palace in the 89th minute, but Garcia made it five in stoppage time to restore City’s four-goal margin.

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