Christantus Uche Ignites Dominant Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Without star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a commanding win that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another victory in their next match against Finnish KuPS ought to be sufficient to seal direct entry to the last 16, particularly after a prior setback against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Moment
This match offered a chance for some of Palace's lesser-used talent to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a second, scoring for the second game in succession.
The Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season were no match even for a largely second-string Palace lineup. The Londoners were already weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee injuries.
Control Asserted from the Start
Despite torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, driving a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the referee dismissed the protests.
The formerArsenal man didn't need to wait long to get his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's shot had hit the post.
The home side were clinging on for dear life. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for two agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was effectively over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past some comically weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, but saw his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still room for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, capping an otherwise positive evening for the traveling side.