Christantus Uche Ignites Comfortable Crystal Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their first-ever European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Without star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a commanding win that all but guarantees them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another victory in their next fixture against Finland's KuPS should be sufficient to seal straight entry to the last 16, especially after a prior setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match provided a chance for several Palace's lesser-used talent to shine. Christantus Uche, making only his second start since joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a another, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
The Shelbourne side that had finished their domestic season proved no match even for a mostly second-string Palace lineup. The Londoners were further depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee problems.
Dominance Asserted from the Outset
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the referee dismissed the protests.
The formerArsenal striker didn't need to wait long to get his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's shot had struck the post.
Shelbourne were clinging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for two agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Game
The contest was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of comically weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to withdraw key players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still room for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
