Christantus Uche Ignites Straightforward Crystal Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Missing key players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Conference League playoffs.
A further three points in their upcoming fixture against Finnish KuPS should be sufficient to secure straight passage to the knockout stages, especially following a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This occasion provided a platform for several Palace's lesser-used talent to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a second, scoring for the second game in match.
The Shelbourne side that had concluded their league season proved no match even for a largely rotated Palace outfit. The Londoners were further depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg injuries.
Dominance Established from the Outset
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A slick move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, let Nketiah to lay on Uche for a straightforward finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close soon after, fizzing a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.
The formerArsenal striker didn't need to wait long to get his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's effort had hit the post.
Shelbourne were clinging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for two robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes before 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 withdraw several players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect night for the traveling side.
