Christantus Uche Ignites Dominant Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Despite entering their maiden European campaign, Crystal Palace are learning very quickly. Missing key figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a commanding win that all but secures them a place in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
Another three points in their upcoming fixture against Finnish KuPS ought to be enough to seal straight entry to the knockout stages, especially following a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Opportunity
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 clinical finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, scoring for the second consecutive match.
A Shelbourne team that had finished their domestic season proved no match even for a largely second-string Palace outfit. The visitors were further depleted by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee problems.
Dominance Established from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A slick move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, driving a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the official waved away the protests.
The formerArsenal man did not have wait long to get his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's shot had struck the post.
Shelbourne were clinging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to escape a booking for two agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Game
The contest was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some comically 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 withdraw several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring with his first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then blazed a glaring chance, indicating there is still scope for improvement in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, capping an otherwise perfect night for the visiting side.
