Christantus Uche Sparks Comfortable Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden European adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting at a rapid pace. Missing key figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a comfortable result that all but guarantees them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another victory in their next fixture against Finnish KuPS ought to be sufficient to secure direct passage to the last 16, particularly following a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Opportunity
This occasion offered a chance for several Palace's lesser-used players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning since joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a well-taken goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, scoring for the second consecutive match.
The Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season were outmatched against a largely second-string Palace lineup. The visitors were further depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Control Asserted from the Start
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a straightforward finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the official waved away the protests.
The formerArsenal striker didn't need to wait long to get his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's effort had struck the post.
Shelbourne were clinging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of comically weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring with his first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still room for development in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a late 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 evening for the traveling side.
