Christantus Uche Ignites Comfortable Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their maiden European campaign, Crystal Palace are learning very quickly. Missing star players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a comfortable result that all but guarantees them a spot in the Conference League playoffs.
Another three points in their next match against Finnish KuPS should be enough to secure straight passage to the last 16, particularly after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match provided a chance for some of Palace's lesser-used players to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, scoring for the second game in succession.
The Shelbourne side that had finished their domestic season proved no match against a largely second-string Palace lineup. The Londoners were further depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee injuries.
Dominance Established from the Outset
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A flowing move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton went close minutes later, driving a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the official dismissed the protests.
The formerArsenal man didn't need to wait long to get his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's effort had hit the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for two robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The match was effectively over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to withdraw several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring with his very first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still room for improvement in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, capping an otherwise positive evening for the traveling side.
