Uche Fuels Straightforward Palace Triumph at Irish Side Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden European adventure, Crystal Palace are learning very quickly. Missing star players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a comfortable win that all but guarantees them a place in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their next match against Finland's KuPS ought to be enough to secure direct passage to the last 16, especially following a previous setback against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Grasp the Opportunity
This occasion offered a chance for some of Palace's fringe players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a clinical finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, scoring for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne side that had concluded their league season were outmatched even for a largely rotated Palace outfit. The visitors were further depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee injuries.
Control Asserted from the Outset
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A slick move in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a straightforward finish.
Youngster 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 referee waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal striker didn't need to wait long to find his goal, tapping 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 avoid a booking for two robust tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards struck the crossbar with a header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Game
The match was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of comically weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
After the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring with his very first touch, only to see his effort blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off both posts before being clasped on the line. Uche also missed a glaring chance, indicating there is still scope for development in his game.
The only worry for Palace was a second-half knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This paved the way for 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to earn his first-team debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect night for the traveling side.