Christantus Uche Ignites Straightforward Palace Triumph at Shelbourne.
Despite embarking on their maiden continental adventure, Crystal Palace are adapting at a rapid pace. Without star players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their next match against Finnish KuPS should be enough to secure direct passage to the last 16, particularly following a prior setback against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Moment
This match offered a platform for some of Palace's lesser-used players to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second start since joining on loan from Getafe, opened the account with a clinical finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a another, scoring for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne side that had finished their league season were no match against a mostly rotated Palace outfit. The Londoners were already weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg injuries.
Control Asserted from the Outset
In spite of heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton went close soon after, driving a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.
The formerArsenal man 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 tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Contest
The match was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some comically weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to rest several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring his very first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot strike off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then missed a glaring chance, indicating there is still room for improvement in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise positive evening for the visiting side.