Uche Ignites Comfortable Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Missing key players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another three points in their upcoming fixture against Finland's KuPS should be enough to secure direct entry to the last 16, particularly following 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 start since joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a well-taken finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, scoring for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne team that had finished their league season were no match against a mostly second-string Palace outfit. The visitors were further weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee problems.
Control Established from the Start
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A flowing passing sequence 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 soon after, driving a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the official waved away the appeals.
The formerArsenal striker did not have wait long to get his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's effort had struck the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for two agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of comically weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring with his very first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also missed a glaring chance, showing there is still room for improvement in his game.
The only concern for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise positive evening for the visiting side.