Christantus Uche Fuels Comfortable Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Even though entering their first-ever continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Missing star figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a commanding win that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
Another three points in their upcoming fixture against Finnish KuPS ought to be enough to secure direct passage to the knockout stages, especially after a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Opportunity
This match offered a chance for some of Palace's lesser-used talent to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning since arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the account with a well-taken finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, scoring for the second game in match.
A Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season proved no match even for a largely second-string Palace lineup. The visitors were further weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg injuries.
Control Established from the Start
Despite torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A slick move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to lay on Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton went close minutes later, driving a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the official waved away the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal man didn't need to wait long to get his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's effort had struck the post.
Shelbourne were clinging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for two agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Game
The contest was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring his first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also missed a glaring chance, indicating there is still scope for development in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
