Uche Ignites Comfortable Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their maiden European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Without star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their next match against Finland's KuPS ought to be sufficient to seal direct entry to the last 16, especially after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This match offered a platform for several Palace's fringe players to shine. Christantus Uche, making only his second start since arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne side that had concluded their league season were no match even for a mostly second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were already depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee problems.
Dominance Established from the Outset
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah then appealed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the official dismissed the protests.
The formerArsenal man did not have wait long to find his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's effort had hit the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for two robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Game
The contest was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to withdraw key players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring with his first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then blazed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still room for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a second-half injury 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 night for the visiting side.
