Christantus Uche Ignites Comfortable Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden continental campaign, Crystal Palace are learning at a rapid pace. Without key players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another three points in their next match against Finland's KuPS should be enough to seal direct passage to the last 16, especially following a prior setback against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This match provided a platform for several Palace's fringe players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a another, scoring for the second game in match.
A Shelbourne team that had finished their league season proved outmatched even for a mostly rotated Palace outfit. The visitors were already depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg injuries.
Control Established from the Outset
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A flowing move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton went close soon after, fizzing a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the official waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal man didn't need to wait long to get his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's shot had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Game
The match was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to rest key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring his first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also blazed a glaring chance, showing there is still room for improvement in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect night for the visiting side.
