Uche Ignites Comfortable Palace Triumph at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Despite entering their first-ever continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Missing key figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
A further three points in their next fixture against Finland's KuPS ought to be enough to seal direct passage to the knockout stages, especially following a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match provided a platform for some of Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning since arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a well-taken goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a another, scoring for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their league season were outmatched against a mostly rotated Palace outfit. The Londoners were further weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg problems.
Dominance Asserted from the Start
Despite torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A slick move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton went close minutes later, fizzing a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the referee dismissed the appeals.
The formerArsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's shot had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to withdraw several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also blazed a glaring chance, showing there is still room for development in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise positive evening for the traveling side.
