Uche Ignites Comfortable Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Despite entering their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Missing star players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable result that all but guarantees them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further three points in their upcoming match against Finland's KuPS ought to be enough to secure straight entry to the last 16, especially after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Opportunity
This match offered a chance for several Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a clinical finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their league season were outmatched even for a largely second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were further depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Control Established from the Outset
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the referee waved away the appeals.
The formerArsenal striker did not have wait long to get his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's shot had struck the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for two agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The match was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring with his first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for development in his game.
The only concern for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
