CRYSTAL PALACE’S European tour is destined to roll on after they left drizzly Dublin with a Conference League knockout spot all but secured.
The travelling Eagles fans have already visited Norway, Poland, France and Ireland and can now look forward to at least one more stamp on their passports.
A point in their final group game, against Slovenians KPS Kuopio will see them into the business end of European football for the first time in the club’s history.
Another milestone in their jubilant journey under Oliver Glasner.
Despite playing on a heavy pitch and being subjected to even heavier challenges, Glasner’s side made light work of Irish minnows Shelbourne.
Palace’s 1,800 fans in the South Stand of the Tallaght Stadium saluted summer signing Christantus Uche he bagged his first goal for the club.
IS THIS THE HEND?
Mo Salah grills ex-Liverpool pal Henderson in secret London rendezvous
SPOTY ODDS
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025 betting odds: Who is favourite to win?
The Nigerian was joined on the scoresheet by Eddie Nketiah and Yeremy Pino.
Glasner has been frustrated by the two defeats his side, who remain firm favourites to win the competition, have suffered so far – but they avoided another banana skin with ease here.
Uche, on his first start since joining on loan from Getafe in the summer, could not have asked for an easier chance to open his account.
Daichi Kamada, a European trophy winner under Glasner at Eintracht Frankfurt, fed Nketiah down the left with the ex-Arenal man squaring perfectly for Uche to convert.
The attacking midfielder came so close to a second 15 minutes later, prodding Pino’s clipped ball onto the post and inadvertently assisting Nketiah, who bundled home.
Hosts Shelbourne, managed by former Bolton and West Ham defender Joey O’Brien, are still to even score in this competition.
They never came close here and resorted, at times, to lumping those Palace players they could get near.
Full-back Kameron Ledwidge had given Pino quite the treatment with two lunging tackles – only being punished for the second.
Pino took his revenge in superb fashion.
Fed by Kamada, just inside the Shelbourne half, the slight Spaniard set off towards goal, skipping past Ledwidge on his way before jinking onto his right and firing low into the corner.
Glasner’s biggest concern coming to Dublin was keeping his already short squad safe from further injury.
Pino, Kamada and Adam Wharton were all withdrawn at the break before Nketiah was withdrawn early in the second-half.
Palace’s No9 has yet to truly flourish since joining the club for £30million last year, but may now get a chance to show what he can do with Jean-Philippe Mateta sidelined.
Palace’s first-half goal rush was slowed by the changes but they should have had two more with ease.
Substitute Romaine Esse watched his strike hit the inside of both posts before Uche blasted over from close range.
Despite the missed chances, Palace were more than comfortable – allowing Glasner to hand a senior debut to 17-year-old striker Benji Casey.
Read the full article here