Uche Fuels Straightforward Palace Victory at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their first-ever European adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning very quickly. Without star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a comfortable win that virtually guarantees them a place in the Conference League playoffs.
Another victory in their upcoming fixture against Finland's KuPS should be enough to seal direct entry to the last 16, particularly following a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Moment
This match offered a chance for several Palace's lesser-used players to impress. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, notched the scoring with a clinical finish. Striker Eddie Nketiah added a second, finding the net for the second consecutive succession.
The Shelbourne side that had finished their domestic season proved outmatched even for a largely second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were already weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with leg problems.
Control Established from the Start
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly took control. A flowing move in the 11th minute, initiated by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a simple finish.
Midfielder Adam Wharton went close minutes later, fizzing a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently claimed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the official waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal man didn't need to wait long to find his goal, prodding home from close range after Uche's shot had struck the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to escape a booking for two robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Pino Wraps Up the Game
The contest was as good as over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following the break, manager Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest key players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring his first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one attempt strike off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche then missed a sitter of a chance, showing there is still room for development in his game.
A solitary concern for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his senior debut, capping an otherwise perfect evening for the visiting side.