Uche Sparks Dominant Crystal Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden European campaign, Crystal Palace are learning at a rapid pace. Without star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable result that all but 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, particularly following a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match provided a chance for several Palace's lesser-used talent to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second start since joining on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
The Shelbourne side that had finished their domestic season proved outmatched even for a mostly rotated Palace outfit. The visitors were further depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg problems.
Dominance Established from the Outset
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A slick move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, driving a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal striker didn't need to wait long to get his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's effort had struck the post.
Shelbourne were clinging on for dear life. Full-back 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 header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some comically weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw several players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring with his first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then missed 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 was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise positive evening for the visiting side.
