Uche Fuels Comfortable Palace Victory at Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their first-ever European adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Missing star players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually guarantees them a place in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their next fixture against Finland's KuPS should be sufficient to seal straight entry to the knockout stages, particularly after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Opportunity
This match provided a platform for some of Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second start since arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a another, scoring for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne side that had concluded their league season were outmatched even for a largely rotated Palace outfit. The visitors were further weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee injuries.
Dominance Asserted from the Outset
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, let Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving 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 find his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's shot had struck the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on for dear life. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a 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 weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw several players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also blazed a glaring chance, indicating there is still room for improvement in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise positive evening for the visiting side.
