Uche Sparks Dominant Palace Victory at Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their first-ever European campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Missing star players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a commanding result that all but guarantees them a place in the Conference League playoffs.
Another victory in their next fixture against Finnish KuPS should be enough to secure straight entry to the last 16, particularly following a prior setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This occasion provided a chance for several Palace's lesser-used talent to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after arriving on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah contributed a second, scoring for the second consecutive match.
The Shelbourne team that had concluded their domestic season were no match even for a largely second-string Palace outfit. The visitors were already depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee problems.
Dominance Asserted from the Outset
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A slick passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton went close minutes later, driving a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah then appealed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the referee waved away the protests.
The formerArsenal striker did not have wait long to get his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's effort had hit the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on for dear life. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for a couple of robust challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring with his very first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a glaring chance, indicating there is still room for improvement in his game.
The only concern for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.
