Christantus Uche Ignites Comfortable Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their first-ever European adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting at a rapid pace. Without key players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a commanding win that virtually secures them a place in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another three points in their next match against Finnish KuPS should be sufficient to seal direct passage to the last 16, especially after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Moment
This occasion provided a chance for several Palace's lesser-used players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a another, scoring for the second game in match.
A Shelbourne team that had concluded their league season proved no match against a mostly second-string Palace lineup. The Londoners were further weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Control Asserted from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A slick move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, fizzing a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah then appealed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the official waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's shot had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for two agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of comically weak challenges before calmly 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. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring with his very first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then missed a glaring chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
