Uche Sparks Straightforward Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their first-ever European campaign, Crystal Palace are learning at a rapid pace. Missing key players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a commanding result that all but secures them a place in the Conference League playoffs.
A further victory in their next match against Finnish KuPS ought to be enough to seal straight entry to the last 16, especially following a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Opportunity
This match provided a platform for some of Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second start after arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a another, scoring for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their league season were outmatched even for a mostly second-string Palace outfit. The visitors were further depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee injuries.
Control Established from the Start
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A slick move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed 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 subsequently claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the official waved away the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal striker did not have wait long to get his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's shot had hit the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for a couple of robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of comically weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to withdraw several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring his very first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a glaring chance, showing there is still room for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect night for the traveling side.
