Christantus Uche Sparks Comfortable Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting at a rapid pace. Without key players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another three points in their next match against Finnish KuPS ought to be sufficient to secure direct entry to the knockout stages, especially following a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This match provided a platform for several Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a well-taken finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, scoring for the second consecutive match.
The Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season proved outmatched even for a mostly second-string Palace lineup. The visitors were further depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Control Asserted from the Start
Despite torrential rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, fizzing a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal man didn't need to wait long to get his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's effort had struck the post.
The home side were clinging on for dear life. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of comically weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring with his very first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then blazed a glaring chance, showing there is still room for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect night for the visiting side.
