Uche Sparks Comfortable Crystal Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their first-ever European adventure, Crystal Palace are adapting very quickly. Without key figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a place in the Conference League playoffs.
A further victory in their next fixture against Finnish KuPS should be sufficient to secure straight entry to the last 16, particularly following a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This match offered a chance for some of Palace's fringe players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning since arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a well-taken goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their domestic season were outmatched against a mostly second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were already weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee problems.
Control Established from the Start
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A slick move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close minutes later, driving a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the official dismissed the protests.
The formerArsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's shot had struck the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to escape a booking for two agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a powerful 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 calmly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring with his first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then blazed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect night for the traveling side.
