Christantus Uche Fuels Comfortable Palace Victory at Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting at a rapid pace. Without key figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further three points in their upcoming match against Finland's KuPS ought to be sufficient to seal straight entry to the last 16, particularly after a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This occasion offered a chance for some of Palace's fringe talent to shine. Christantus Uche, making only his second start since joining on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a second, scoring for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne team that had concluded their domestic season were no match even for a mostly second-string Palace outfit. The visitors were already depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee injuries.
Control Established from the Start
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A flowing move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the official waved away the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal man didn't need to wait long to find his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's effort had hit the post.
The home side were clinging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for a couple of robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The match was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some comically weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to rest several players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring with his very first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise positive night for the visiting side.
