Christantus Uche Fuels Comfortable Palace Triumph at Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Missing star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their next match against Finland's KuPS ought to be enough to seal direct entry to the last 16, particularly after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This occasion provided a platform for some of Palace's lesser-used talent to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second start after arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a well-taken finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a second, finding the net for the second game in succession.
A Shelbourne team that had concluded their domestic season proved no match against a largely second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were further depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee problems.
Control Asserted from the Start
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A flowing move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, fizzing a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the official waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal man didn't need to wait long to get his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's shot had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on for dear life. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of comically weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to rest several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring his very first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly 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 room for improvement in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the traveling side.
