Uche Fuels Dominant Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their first-ever continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Without star players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a commanding win that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their next fixture against Finnish KuPS should be sufficient to secure straight passage to the knockout stages, especially after a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This match offered a chance for some of Palace's lesser-used players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a second, finding the net for the second game in match.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their league season proved outmatched against a mostly second-string Palace lineup. The Londoners were further depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee problems.
Dominance Asserted from the Start
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A flowing move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton went close soon after, fizzing a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee dismissed the protests.
The formerArsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's effort had struck the post.
The home side were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The match was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of comically weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring his very first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still room for development 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, capping an otherwise positive evening for the visiting side.
