Uche Sparks Straightforward Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their first-ever European adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Missing star players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a commanding result that all but guarantees them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further three points in their upcoming match against Finland's KuPS ought to be enough to secure direct entry to the knockout stages, especially after a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Opportunity
This match offered a chance for several Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second beginning after arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second game in succession.
A Shelbourne team that had finished their league season were no match against a mostly second-string Palace lineup. The visitors were already depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Control Established from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A slick move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton went close minutes later, driving a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the referee waved away the protests.
The formerArsenal man didn't need to wait long to get his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's shot had struck the post.
Shelbourne were clinging 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 struck the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The match was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some comically weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to withdraw key players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring his first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also blazed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, capping an otherwise positive night for the traveling side.
