Christantus Uche Fuels Dominant Crystal Palace Triumph at Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden European adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Without key figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually secures them a place in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
Another three points in their upcoming match against Finnish KuPS should be sufficient to seal direct entry to the last 16, especially after a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Opportunity
This match provided a platform for some of Palace's lesser-used players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a well-taken goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a second, scoring for the second game in match.
The Shelbourne side that had finished their league season were no match against a mostly second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were already weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg injuries.
Control Asserted from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the referee dismissed the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal man did not have wait long to find his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's shot had hit the post.
The home side were clinging on desperately. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring with his very first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for development in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise positive night for the visiting side.
