Christantus Uche Sparks Straightforward Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Even though entering their first-ever European adventure, Crystal Palace are adapting very quickly. Without star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a place in the Conference League playoffs.
A further three points in their next match against Finnish KuPS should be enough to seal direct entry to the last 16, especially following a prior setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Opportunity
This occasion offered a chance for some of Palace's fringe players to shine. Christantus Uche, making only his second beginning since joining on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, finding the net for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne team that had concluded their domestic season were no match even for a mostly second-string Palace outfit. The visitors were further weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee injuries.
Control Established from the Outset
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 simple tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton went close minutes later, fizzing a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the referee waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal man didn't need to wait long to find his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's shot had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to escape a booking for two robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Contest
The match was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to rest key individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each 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 second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise positive night for the traveling side.
