Christantus Uche Ignites Comfortable Crystal Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Missing key players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a place in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
A further three points in their upcoming fixture against Finnish KuPS ought to be enough to seal direct passage to the knockout stages, especially after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Opportunity
This occasion offered a platform for some of Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a well-taken finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a another, scoring for the second consecutive match.
The Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season proved no match against a largely rotated Palace lineup. The Londoners were already weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee injuries.
Control Established from the Start
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A slick move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, let Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton went close soon after, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the official dismissed the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal man didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's shot had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw key players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then blazed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the traveling side.
