Uche Sparks Comfortable Palace Victory at Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their maiden European adventure, Crystal Palace are adapting very quickly. Missing star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable result that all but secures them a place in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further three points in their upcoming fixture against Finland's KuPS ought to be sufficient to secure straight entry to the last 16, especially following a prior setback against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This match offered a platform for several Palace's fringe talent to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second game in succession.
A Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season proved outmatched even for a largely second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were further depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg injuries.
Control Asserted from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A slick move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah then appealed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the referee dismissed the appeals.
The formerArsenal man didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's effort had hit the post.
The home side were clinging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Wraps Up the Game
The match was effectively 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.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring with his first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then blazed a glaring chance, indicating there is still scope for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect evening for the traveling side.
