Uche Fuels Comfortable Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their first-ever European campaign, Crystal Palace are learning very quickly. Without star players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another victory in their upcoming fixture against Finland's KuPS should be enough to seal direct entry to the knockout stages, especially after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Opportunity
This match offered a chance for some of Palace's fringe talent to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a well-taken finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a another, scoring for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne side that had concluded their domestic season were no match even for a largely rotated Palace lineup. The Londoners were already weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Control Asserted from the Outset
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah then appealed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.
The formerArsenal striker did not have wait long to find his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's shot had struck the post.
The home side were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for a couple of robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Game
The match was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some comically weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring his first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then missed a glaring chance, showing there is still room for development in his game.
A solitary concern 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 earn his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
