Uche Ignites Comfortable Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Despite entering their maiden continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Without star players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable win that all but guarantees them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their upcoming match against Finland's KuPS ought to be enough to seal direct entry to the knockout stages, particularly after a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Moment
This match provided a chance for several Palace's lesser-used talent to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second game in match.
The Shelbourne side that had concluded their league season were outmatched against a largely second-string Palace lineup. The visitors were already depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg problems.
Control Asserted from the Outset
Despite torrential rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A slick move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, fizzing a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah then appealed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee dismissed the protests.
The formerArsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's effort had struck the post.
The home side were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for a couple of agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some comically weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to withdraw several players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then blazed a glaring chance, indicating there is still room for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect night for the traveling side.
