Christantus Uche Ignites Straightforward Palace Victory at Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting at a rapid pace. Without key players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually secures them a place in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their upcoming match against Finnish KuPS ought to be sufficient to seal straight entry to the knockout stages, especially after a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Opportunity
This match provided a platform for some of Palace's lesser-used players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, scoring for the second consecutive match.
The Shelbourne team that had concluded their domestic season were outmatched against a largely second-string Palace lineup. 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 heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton went close minutes later, fizzing a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah then appealed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the official dismissed the protests.
The formerArsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's effort had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for two robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The match was effectively over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring with his first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also blazed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
The only concern for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, capping an otherwise positive evening for the visiting side.
