Christantus Uche Sparks Comfortable Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Without star figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually secures them a place in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their upcoming fixture against Finnish KuPS ought to be sufficient to seal direct entry to the last 16, especially after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Moment
This occasion provided a chance for some of Palace's fringe talent to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second start after arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a well-taken goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne side that had concluded their league season were outmatched even for a mostly second-string Palace outfit. The visitors were already depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Dominance Asserted from the Start
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A slick 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, fizzing a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the official waved away the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping 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 agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Game
The contest was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some comically weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring his first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, capping an otherwise positive night for the traveling side.
