Christantus Uche Sparks Straightforward Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their maiden European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Missing star figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a commanding win that all but secures them a place in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
A further victory in their next fixture against Finnish KuPS ought to be sufficient to seal direct entry to the last 16, especially after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This match offered a chance for some of Palace's lesser-used players to shine. Christantus Uche, making only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a second, finding the net for the second consecutive succession.
The Shelbourne team that had concluded their league season were no match even for a largely rotated Palace lineup. The Londoners were already depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee problems.
Control Asserted from the Start
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A slick move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, let Nketiah to lay on Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah then appealed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the referee dismissed the protests.
Ex-Arsenal man did not have wait long to get his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's effort had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for two robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to rest key players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring with his first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also blazed 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 was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect evening for the traveling side.
