Christantus Uche Sparks Straightforward Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their first-ever European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Missing key players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a commanding result that all but guarantees them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another three points in their upcoming match against Finnish KuPS should be enough to seal straight entry to the knockout stages, especially following a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Opportunity
This match provided a platform for several Palace's lesser-used talent to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second beginning since joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a another, finding the net for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their league season proved outmatched even for a mostly rotated Palace outfit. The Londoners were further depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg problems.
Control Established from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the official waved away the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal man did not have wait long to find his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's effort had hit the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Game
The match was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of comically weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to rest several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring his very first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then blazed a glaring chance, indicating there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
