Christantus Uche Sparks Comfortable Crystal Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their first-ever continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Missing star figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a commanding result that all but guarantees them a place in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their next fixture against Finland's KuPS should be enough to seal straight entry to the knockout stages, especially after a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match offered a chance for some of Palace's lesser-used talent to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second beginning since joining on loan from Getafe, notched the account with a well-taken finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, scoring for the second consecutive match.
The Shelbourne team that had finished their league season proved outmatched even for a largely second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were further weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg problems.
Dominance Established from the Outset
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the referee dismissed the protests.
The formerArsenal striker 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. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to escape a booking for a couple of robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Contest
The match was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some comically weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring with his first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then missed a glaring chance, showing there is still room for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the traveling side.
