Christantus Uche Ignites Comfortable Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden continental campaign, Crystal Palace are learning very quickly. Without key figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further three points in their upcoming match against Finland's KuPS should be enough to seal straight passage to the last 16, especially after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Moment
This match offered a chance for several Palace's lesser-used talent to shine. Christantus Uche, making only his second start after arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a clinical finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, finding the net for the second consecutive succession.
The Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season were no match against a mostly rotated Palace lineup. The Londoners were further weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg injuries.
Control Established from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A flowing move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close minutes later, driving a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah then appealed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the official dismissed the appeals.
The formerArsenal man didn't need to wait long to get his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's effort had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on for dear life. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for two robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some comically weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary 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 senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect night for the visiting side.
