Uche Fuels Dominant Palace Victory at Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Without star players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their upcoming fixture against Finland's KuPS should be enough to seal straight entry to the knockout stages, especially after a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Opportunity
This occasion provided a platform for several Palace's lesser-used players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning since arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their league season were outmatched against a largely second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were further depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee problems.
Dominance Asserted from the Start
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A slick move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the official dismissed the appeals.
The formerArsenal striker didn't need to wait long to get his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's shot had hit the post.
Shelbourne were clinging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for a couple of agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring with his very first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still room for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect night for the traveling side.
