Uche Ignites Comfortable Crystal Palace Victory at Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their first-ever continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Missing star figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a commanding result that virtually secures them a place in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
Another three points in their upcoming fixture against Finland's KuPS ought to be enough to secure direct passage to the knockout stages, especially following a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Moment
This match provided a chance for some of Palace's fringe talent to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning since arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a well-taken goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne team that had finished their league season proved no match against a largely second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were further weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg problems.
Control Established from the Outset
Despite torrential rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A flowing move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, driving a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the official waved away the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal man didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's shot had hit the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Game
The contest was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some comically 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 rest several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, capping an otherwise perfect night for the traveling side.
