Christantus Uche Fuels Comfortable Crystal Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Missing star players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another victory in their upcoming match against Finnish KuPS should be enough to seal straight entry to the knockout stages, especially after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match provided a platform for some of Palace's lesser-used players to shine. Christantus Uche, making only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second game in match.
The Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season proved outmatched against a largely second-string Palace lineup. The Londoners were already depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg injuries.
Control Established from the Start
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A flowing move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal striker did not have wait long to find his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's shot had struck the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for two agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Game
The contest was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring his first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then blazed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still room for improvement 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 earn his senior debut, capping an otherwise positive evening for the visiting side.
