Christantus Uche Fuels Straightforward Crystal Palace Victory at Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their maiden European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Missing star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually guarantees them a place in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another victory in their upcoming fixture against Finnish KuPS ought to be enough to secure direct passage to the last 16, especially after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Opportunity
This occasion offered a chance for several Palace's lesser-used talent to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the account with a clinical finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, scoring for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season proved outmatched against a largely second-string Palace lineup. The Londoners were already weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee problems.
Control Asserted from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the referee waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal striker didn't need to wait long to get his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's effort had struck the post.
The home side were hanging on for dear life. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to escape a booking for a couple of robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Game
The contest was effectively over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then missed a glaring chance, indicating there is still room for improvement in his game.
The only concern for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect night for the traveling side.
