Uche Ignites Comfortable Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Without star players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a commanding win that virtually secures them a spot in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
Another victory in their next match against Finland's KuPS should be sufficient to secure straight entry to the last 16, particularly after a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This occasion provided a platform for several Palace's fringe talent to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a well-taken goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne team that had concluded their domestic season were no match even for a largely rotated Palace lineup. The Londoners were already depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Control Asserted from the Outset
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A slick move 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 powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the referee waved away the appeals.
The formerArsenal man did not have wait long to find his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's effort had struck the post.
The home side were clinging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for a couple of robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The match was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of comically 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 several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring his first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then missed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
