Uche Fuels Straightforward Palace Triumph at Shelbourne.
Despite entering their first-ever European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Missing star figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a commanding win that virtually secures them a spot in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
A further three points in their upcoming fixture against Finnish KuPS ought to be enough to secure direct entry to the last 16, especially following a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match provided a platform for some of Palace's lesser-used talent to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second start after arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the account with a well-taken finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, finding the net for the second game in match.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their league season proved no match even for a mostly rotated Palace lineup. The visitors were already depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee injuries.
Control Established from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A flowing move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the referee waved away the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal striker did not have wait long to find his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's shot had struck 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 woodwork with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Game
The match was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring with his very first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still scope for improvement in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise positive evening for the visiting side.
