Uche Ignites Comfortable Crystal Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden European adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting at a rapid pace. Without star players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a commanding win that all but secures them a place in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
A further victory in their upcoming match against Finnish KuPS should be sufficient to secure direct entry to the last 16, particularly following a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This occasion provided a chance for some of Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second start since arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, finding the net for the second game in match.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their domestic season were no match against a largely rotated Palace outfit. The Londoners were already weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg problems.
Dominance Established from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton went close soon after, driving a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the referee dismissed the protests.
The formerArsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's effort had hit the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on desperately. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of comically weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following 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, but saw his effort blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a glaring chance, indicating there is still scope for improvement in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the traveling side.
