Christantus Uche Sparks Comfortable Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their first-ever continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting at a rapid pace. Without star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable win that all but secures them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another three points in their next fixture against Finland's KuPS ought to be sufficient to secure straight entry to the last 16, particularly after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match offered a platform for some of Palace's lesser-used talent to shine. Christantus Uche, making only his second start after arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the account with a well-taken finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a second, finding the net for the second consecutive succession.
The Shelbourne side that had finished their league season were no match even for a mostly rotated Palace outfit. The Londoners were already weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg problems.
Control Established from the Start
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, driving a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the official dismissed the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal 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 for dear life. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to escape a booking for two robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
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 slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to withdraw several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring with his first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then blazed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the traveling side.