Uche Ignites Comfortable Crystal Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their maiden European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Missing star players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually secures them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another victory in their next match against Finnish KuPS ought to be sufficient to seal direct entry to the last 16, especially following a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This occasion offered a chance for some of Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second start since arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a second, finding the net for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne team that had finished their league season were outmatched against a mostly second-string Palace lineup. The Londoners were already weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg injuries.
Dominance Established from the Start
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A slick move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.
The formerArsenal man didn't need to wait long to get his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's shot had struck the post.
Shelbourne were clinging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Game
The match was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring with his very first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also blazed a glaring chance, indicating there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise positive evening for the visiting side.
