Uche Fuels Comfortable Crystal Palace Win at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their maiden continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Missing star players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually secures them a place in the Conference League playoffs.
A further three points in their next fixture against Finnish KuPS ought to be enough to secure direct passage to the last 16, particularly following a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Opportunity
This occasion provided a platform for some of Palace's fringe players to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second beginning after arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a another, finding the net for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their league season were no match even for a largely rotated Palace lineup. The Londoners were already weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg problems.
Dominance Asserted from the Outset
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A flowing move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, let Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton went close soon after, fizzing a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the official 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 effort had struck the post.
The home side were clinging on desperately. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for two agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the woodwork with a header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Wraps Up the Game
The match was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of comically weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring his first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
The youngster was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then blazed a glaring chance, showing there is still scope for development in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, capping an otherwise positive evening for the traveling side.
