Leeds' Portuguese midfielder Bruno Ribeiro finally kickstarted his season with his first goal for a year, only to see Wimbledon strike back.

Injuries, as well as a red card in the UEFA Cup second round tie against Roma, have prevented Ribeiro from making any impression this season.

Ironically, a rib injury to the recent £4.4million signing David Batty has given the 23-year-old his chance, which he grabbed with both hands in the first half.

One-two

Ribeiro started the 26th-minute move, playing a one-two down the left-wing with striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who typically produced one of his jinking moves into the area.

The Dutchman then slipped a through-ball between two advancing Wimbledon defenders to Ribeiro, who appeared offside in receiving the pass, but he made no mistake with a crisp left-foot angled finish underneath keeper Neil Sullivan from six yards.

The goal lit the touchpaper to some scintillating football from Leeds.

One outstanding move should have made it 2-0 in the 40th minute when a Harry Kewell backheel sent the whole of the Dons defence darting the wrong way.

The grateful recipient was skipper David Hopkin, who only had Sullivan to beat, but the Scottish international keeper was equal to the powerful close-range drive.

Haaland (right) and Gayle tussle

Within seconds Joe Kinnear's side were level when Earle took on David Wetherall, winning the battle with a low shot from the edge of the area which beat Nigel Martyn in off his right-hand post.

It was Wetherall who had nearly gifted the visitors the lead in the 12th minute when his diving header in cutting out a Michael Hughes cross was heading for the bottom corner, only for Martyn to pull off a fingertip save low to his right.

Both teams had chances either side of that as Leeds went in search of their fifth straight victory at Elland Road, while the Dons were looking for only their third away win this season.

Lee Bowyer and Hasselbaink tested Sullivan with long range drives, while Earle had also gone close with another 18-yard shot.

Second-half salvo

Leeds started the second half with considerable intensity, putting Wimbledon under pressure in front of United's biggest crowd of the season of 39,816.

A series of crosses had the Dons backpedalling, with one Ian Harte ball from the left picking out Jon Woodgate at the far post, but the 18-year-old defender's header landed on top of the net.

Within moments, Ribeiro had prised open the Wimbledon defence with a through-ball for Harry Kewell, only for the Australian international to slice a first time left-foot shot wide.

The pressure eventually paid off in the 57th minute when Ribeiro found Kewell, and with his back to goal he initially held off the challenge of Chris Perry before firing in a right-foot 20-yard drive.

Sullivan was at full stretch to tip the ball away, but only into the path of Hopkin. He rifled home his second goal in four games, with his other strike against Coventry two weeks ago having ended a 15-month goal drought.

Wimbledon bounce back

Wimbledon, however, proved they are nothing if not resilient as they equalised for a second time in the 83rd minute.