Pain-riddled goalkeeper Nigel Martyn emerged the triumphant hero with a lion-hearted performance - but watched Leeds bow out of the UEFA Cup.

It needed to be a night for brave men ready to die for the cause and in Martyn there were clearly none more courageous as he defied searing pain in a bid to keep Leeds' UEFA Cup dream alive.

Boss David O'Leary took a major gamble by playing Martyn, who was forced to take several painkilling injections to combat a rib injury which had forced him onto the sidelines since the first leg in Rome.

Martyn was reported to have looked sick and pale just an hour before kick-off, but he clearly put his agony to one side, making several stunning first-half saves to give Leeds the edge going into the second 45 minutes.

German referee Bernd Heynemann also played his part by sending-off Cameroon international Pierre Wome in the 45th minute for a second bookable offence following two mis-timed tackles on Lee Bowyer.

It was then up to the 10 outfield players to break down the 10-man Serie A side in the second round return at Elland Road, but all too often they were found wanting when it mattered.

In the end, Leeds' Roman road to ruin ended with a 17th minute first leg strike from Marco Delvecchio, who tried in vain to put the tie beyond United's reach, only to meet an inspirational Martyn.

The first scare for the England international came in the sixth minute when an error by 18-year-old Jonathon Woodgate allowed Eusebio Di Francesco to set up Delvecchio.

Having scored eight goals in his last eight games, the former Italy Under-21international curled in a left-foot shot from 15 yards.

Ironically, the two best chances of the game fell Leeds way in the first half, but Lee Sharpe and Lee Bowyer both held their heads in shame at their lack of finishing.

Sharpe has been bitterly unhappy at missing the last five games, an unused sub for two and not even in the 16 for the other three, leading to suggestions of a move away from Elland Road.

But just as United had missed two golden opportunities in the first game when they hit the woodwork, so Bowyer struck a tame effort straight at the Italian with the entire goal at his mercy.

Wome's red card should have raised Leeds' game, but instead they often looked the side with a man short as passes went astray and there was also little movement.

The one flash of inspiration came midway through the second period when an overlapping Bowyer whipped in a low cross to the far post which eluded Chimenti and his defence.

But sliding sub Clyde Wijnhard - who had replaced Sharpe on the hour - was thwarted by his own team-mate in ineffective Australian international Harry Kewell.

Ian Harte and Stephen McPhail both flashed drives over the bar, and even when Leeds were throwing everybody forward, it was still down to Martyn to defy Roma and the pain-barrier with late stops from Delvecchio and another Brazilian in Cafu.

Ultimately, Martyn left the field with a performance head and shoulders above the rest, but was sadly unable to be crowned king of Roma's empire.

Teams

Leeds: Martyn, Hiden, Molenaar, Woodgate, Harte, Hopkin, Bowyer, McPhail, Sharpe, Hasselbaink, Kewell. Subs: Haaland, Wetherall, Wijnhard, Granville, Lilley, Halle, Robinson.