Christantus Uche Fuels Comfortable Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their first-ever European adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting at a rapid pace. Without star players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a commanding result that all but guarantees them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their upcoming match against Finland's KuPS ought to be sufficient to secure straight passage to the last 16, especially after a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This occasion offered a chance for several Palace's lesser-used talent to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a another, scoring for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne side that had concluded their domestic season were outmatched against a mostly second-string Palace lineup. The visitors were further weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee problems.
Dominance Established from the Outset
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the official dismissed the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal man did not have wait long to find his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's effort had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for a couple of robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Game
The match was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to rest several players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for development in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise positive evening for the traveling side.
