Uche Sparks Straightforward Palace Triumph at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Without key figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable result that all but guarantees them a place in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
Another three points in their next fixture against Finland's KuPS ought to be enough to seal straight entry to the knockout stages, especially after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Moment
This match provided a chance for some of Palace's lesser-used players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, notched the account with a clinical finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a second, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne side that had concluded their league season proved no match against a mostly rotated Palace outfit. The Londoners were already weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg injuries.
Control Asserted from the Start
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton went close minutes later, driving a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee waved away the protests.
The formerArsenal striker did not have wait long to find his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's effort had hit the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for a couple of robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of comically weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw several players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring with his first touch, but saw his shot 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 glaring chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
