Christantus Uche Fuels Comfortable Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their first-ever continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting at a rapid pace. Missing key players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a place in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
Another victory in their upcoming fixture against Finland's KuPS should be sufficient to secure direct passage to the last 16, especially after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This match provided a chance for some of Palace's fringe talent to shine. Christantus Uche, making only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, scoring for the second game in succession.
The Shelbourne team that had concluded their domestic season proved no match even for a mostly rotated Palace outfit. The visitors were already depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg injuries.
Control Asserted from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the official waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal striker did not have wait long to find his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's effort had struck the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for two agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring his first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also blazed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, capping an otherwise positive evening for the traveling side.
