Christantus Uche Sparks Comfortable Crystal Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Despite entering their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Missing key players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a commanding result that all but guarantees them a place in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further three points in their next match against Finnish KuPS should be sufficient to seal direct passage to the knockout stages, especially after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Opportunity
This occasion provided a platform for some of Palace's fringe talent to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, scoring for the second game in succession.
The Shelbourne side that had finished their league season were no match even for a mostly rotated Palace outfit. The visitors were further depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg injuries.
Control Asserted from the Start
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton went close soon after, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the referee waved away the protests.
The formerArsenal man did not have wait long to find his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's effort had struck the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for a couple of robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Wraps Up the Game
The contest was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to withdraw several players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring with his very first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also blazed a glaring chance, indicating there is still scope for improvement in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
