Uche Fuels Comfortable Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Without star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a commanding result that all but secures them a spot in the Conference League playoffs.
A further three points in their next match against Finland's KuPS should be enough to seal straight passage to the last 16, particularly following a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Opportunity
This occasion provided a chance for several Palace's lesser-used players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning since arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a well-taken goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a second, scoring for the second consecutive match.
The Shelbourne side that had concluded their league season were no match even for a mostly second-string Palace lineup. The Londoners were further depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee problems.
Control Established from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly established dominance. A slick move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.
The formerArsenal man did not have wait long to get his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's effort had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on for dear life. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for two agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Game
The match was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some comically weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring his very first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then missed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still room for development in his game.
The only concern for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect night for the visiting side.