Christantus Uche Ignites Comfortable Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their first-ever continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Without key figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually secures them a place in the Conference League playoffs.
A further three points in their next fixture against Finland's KuPS ought to be sufficient to secure straight entry to the last 16, especially following a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This occasion provided a chance for some of Palace's fringe talent to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a clinical goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, scoring for the second game in succession.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their domestic season were outmatched even for a largely second-string Palace outfit. The visitors were further depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Control Established from the Outset
Despite torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, driving a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the official dismissed 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 struck the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for two robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Game
The match was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some comically weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring with his first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also blazed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for development 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 make his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
