Uche Sparks Straightforward Crystal Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Missing key players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a commanding result that virtually guarantees them a place in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their upcoming match against Finland's KuPS ought to be enough to secure straight entry to the last 16, especially following a previous stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Moment
This match provided a platform for several Palace's lesser-used players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning since arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical goal. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a second, finding the net for the second game in match.
The Shelbourne side that had finished their domestic season were no match even for a mostly second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were already weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg injuries.
Control Asserted from the Start
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A slick move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, let Nketiah to lay on Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close soon after, fizzing a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after racing into the box, but the official waved away the appeals.
Ex-Arsenal man did not have wait long to find his goal, tapping home from a yard out after Uche's shot had struck the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for two agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of comically weak challenges before coolly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to withdraw key players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his first touch, but saw his effort blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt 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.
The only concern for Palace was a late injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This paved the way for 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect night for the visiting side.
