Christantus Uche Sparks Straightforward Crystal Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Without star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually secures them a spot in the Conference League playoffs.
A further victory in their upcoming fixture against Finnish KuPS ought to be enough to seal straight passage to the last 16, particularly after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Moment
This match offered a chance for some of Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, notched the account with a clinical goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, scoring for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their league season were no match against a mostly rotated Palace lineup. The Londoners were already depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Control Asserted from the Outset
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton went close minutes later, driving a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the official waved away the appeals.
The formerArsenal man didn't need to wait long to get 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. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Game
The match was as good as 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, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring with his first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off both 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 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 perfect evening for the visiting side.