Christantus Uche Fuels Comfortable Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden European campaign, Crystal Palace are adapting at a rapid pace. Missing star players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a comfortable result that all but secures them a place in the Conference League playoffs.
Another three points in their next fixture against Finland's KuPS ought to be sufficient to secure direct entry to the last 16, especially following a prior setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Moment
This occasion provided a chance for several Palace's fringe players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, scoring for the second game in match.
The Shelbourne side that had concluded their domestic season were outmatched even for a largely second-string Palace lineup. The visitors were already weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg problems.
Control Asserted from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the official waved away the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's effort had struck the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on for dear life. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to escape a booking for a couple of robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Game
The match was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some comically weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, coach 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.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still room for improvement in his game.
The only concern for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, capping an otherwise positive night for the visiting side.
