Christantus Uche Fuels Straightforward Palace Triumph at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden continental campaign, Crystal Palace are adapting at a rapid pace. Without star players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a commanding result that virtually secures them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another victory in their next match against Finnish KuPS ought to be enough to seal direct passage to the last 16, especially after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Moment
This occasion offered a platform for some of Palace's lesser-used players to shine. Christantus Uche, making only his second beginning since arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a well-taken finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, finding the net for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season were no match against a mostly second-string Palace lineup. The Londoners were already weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee problems.
Control Established from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah then appealed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the referee dismissed the protests.
Ex-Arsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's shot had struck the post.
The home side were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring his very first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still room for development in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise positive night for the traveling side.
