Christantus Uche Ignites Comfortable Crystal Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Without star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their next match against Finnish KuPS ought to be enough to seal straight entry to the knockout stages, especially after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Moment
This occasion offered a chance for some of Palace's lesser-used players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning since arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a clinical goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a second, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
The Shelbourne team that had finished their league season were outmatched against a largely rotated Palace lineup. The Londoners were already depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee injuries.
Control Established from the Start
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, fizzing a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the referee waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal striker did not have wait long to get his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's effort had struck the post.
The home side were clinging on for dear life. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for two robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Wraps Up the Game
The contest was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some comically weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring his very first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also blazed a glaring chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise positive night for the visiting side.
