Crystal Palace beat Shelbourne 3-0 in Dublin to move ninth in the Conference League table and boost hopes of a top eight finish.
Crystal Palace strengthened their push for a top eight finish with a comfortable 3-0 win over Shelbourne. The Conference League clash was settled before half time at Tallaght Stadium. Palace showed their quality early and never allowed the hosts momentum.
The Eagles began the night outside the automatic qualification places. They ended it ninth, just one point off the top eight. With one league phase match remaining, qualification remains firmly in their hands.
Palace took the lead in the 11th minute through Christantus Uche. Eddie Nketiah cut the ball back after a sharp move and Uche finished calmly. It was the midfielder’s first start in the competition and he took it confidently.
The visitors doubled their advantage midway through the half. Uche struck the post after being released by Yeremy Pino, with Nketiah tapping in the rebound. Shelbourne struggled to cope with Palace’s movement and pace.
Palace made it 3-0 in the 37th minute with a moment of quality. Pino drove forward from midfield and drilled a low shot into the corner. The goal capped a dominant first half and effectively ended the contest.
Marc Guehi and Chris Richards both went close before the interval. Richards also headed against the bar from a corner. The only surprise was Palace not scoring more.
Palace continued to create chances after the break but eased their intensity. Romain Esse was unlucky when his shot hit both posts and stayed out. Uche also passed up a late chance to add a second goal.
Oliver Glasner rotated his side as the game wore on. Daichi Kamada, Adam Wharton and Pino were all withdrawn early. The changes helped manage minutes during a busy schedule.
Uche stood out on the night. He scored, assisted, and linked well with Nketiah throughout. Nketiah also impressed, scoring once and providing the assist for the opener.
Palace have now scored nine goals in five Conference League league phase matches. They recorded three goals from the first half alone in Dublin. Shelbourne remain without a goal in the competition.
The Eagles now sit on nine points from five matches. They are one point behind a group of teams occupying the automatic qualification spots. A single point in their final match would guarantee at least a play-off place.
Crystal Palace return to domestic action on Sunday. They host Manchester City in the Premier League as their hectic December schedule continues. Attention then quickly turns back to Europe.
Their final Conference League match is at home to KuPS next Thursday. A win would give Palace a strong chance of finishing in the top eight. Even a draw could be enough depending on other results.
Shelbourne, already eliminated, face Celje away in their final European fixture. Their League of Ireland season has already concluded, making this their last match of 2025.
