Christantus Uche Fuels Dominant Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their first-ever European adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Missing star figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a comfortable win that all but secures them a place in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further three points in their next match against Finland's KuPS should be sufficient to secure direct entry to the knockout stages, particularly following a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Opportunity
This match provided a platform for several Palace's fringe players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning since arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the account with a well-taken finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a another, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
The Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season proved no match against a mostly second-string Palace lineup. The visitors were further weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee injuries.
Control Asserted from the Outset
Despite torrential rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee waved away the protests.
The formerArsenal man did not have wait long to get his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's shot had hit the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to escape a booking for a couple of agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The match was effectively over eight minutes before 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 took the chance to withdraw key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a glaring chance, showing there is still scope for improvement 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 first-team debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
