Christantus Uche Ignites Straightforward Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Missing star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a commanding win that all but secures them a place in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another victory in their upcoming fixture against Finland's KuPS ought to be sufficient to seal straight entry to the knockout stages, especially after a prior setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match provided a chance for some of Palace's fringe talent to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a well-taken finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, scoring for the second consecutive succession.
The Shelbourne team that had concluded their league season proved no match against a mostly rotated Palace lineup. The visitors were already weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee injuries.
Control Established from the Outset
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, fizzing a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the referee waved away the protests.
The formerArsenal man did not have wait long to get his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's effort had struck the post.
Shelbourne were clinging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring his very first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also blazed a glaring chance, indicating there is still scope for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
