Uche Sparks Comfortable Palace Win at Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their first-ever continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Without star figures like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club departed Dublin with a commanding result that virtually guarantees them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their upcoming fixture against Finland's KuPS ought to be sufficient to secure straight entry to the knockout stages, especially following a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Grasp the Moment
This match offered a platform for some of Palace's fringe talent to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second start since arriving on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a another, finding the net for the second game in match.
The Shelbourne side that had finished their league season proved no match against a mostly rotated Palace outfit. The Londoners 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 quickly established dominance. A flowing move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close soon after, fizzing a powerful effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee waved away the protests.
The formerArsenal man did not have wait long to find his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's effort had hit the post.
The home side were hanging on desperately. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Seals the Game
The match was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of comically weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw key players like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off each posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still room for development in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his first-team debut, capping an otherwise positive night for the visiting side.
