Uche Ignites Straightforward Crystal Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their first-ever continental campaign, Crystal Palace are learning at a rapid pace. Without star figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their next match against Finland's KuPS ought to be sufficient to seal direct entry to the last 16, especially after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match offered a platform for some of Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second start since joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season were no match even for a mostly rotated Palace lineup. The visitors were further depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee problems.
Control Asserted from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close minutes later, driving a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah then appealed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the referee dismissed the protests.
Ex-Arsenal striker did not have wait long to find his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's effort had struck the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for two agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of comically weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to withdraw several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring with his very first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then missed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still room for development in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
