Christantus Uche Sparks Dominant Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their maiden European campaign, Crystal Palace are learning very quickly. Without key players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable win that all but secures them a place in the Conference League playoffs.
Another victory in their next match against Finland's KuPS should be sufficient to seal straight entry to the knockout stages, especially after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match offered a platform for some of Palace's lesser-used talent to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second beginning since arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second game in match.
The Shelbourne side that had finished their league season were no match even for a largely second-string Palace outfit. The visitors were already weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Dominance Asserted from the Outset
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A slick move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee waved away the protests.
The formerArsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's effort had hit the post.
The home side were clinging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for two agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The match was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then blazed a glaring chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise positive evening for the visiting side.
