Leeds win over Foxes in vain

Smith is surrounded by team-mates after scoring

Leeds 3-1 Leicester

Late goals from Alan Smith and Ian Harte sealed victory for Leeds over Leicester at Elland Road.

But the result was academic for David O'Leary's men as Liverpool's 4-0 win at Charlton gave them the third Champions League place.

Dogged defending by Leicester had kept them in the game at 1-1 until Harte fired them ahead from 19 yards with a curling effort in the 77 minute.

The free kick had been advanced 10 yards by referee David Elleray after Trevor Benjamin initially obstructed Harte.

Smith made it 3-1 on 90 minutes, running onto Mark Viduka's volleyed pass into the visitors' area and slotting coolly past the advancing Tim Flowers for his 18th of the season.

It was a win we deserved

  David O'Leary

Leeds had taken the lead in the first half through Smith, only to see a Rio Ferdinand own goal bring Leicester level five minutes later.

Peter Taylor's team had defended with increasing desperation in the second period as Leeds swept forward at every opportunity.

Their determination nearly paid off in the 63rd minute when a run down the left by Olivier Dacourt left Matthew Jones and Lee Marshall flat-footed.

Magnificent save

His chip to the far post was met by Viduka whose header cannoned off the post - the second time he had been thwarted by the woodwork.

In the first period, the Australian had seen a 10-yard shot tipped magnficently onto the post by Flowers.

Dacourt himself nearly scored in the 70th minute, curling a shot from 20 yards over Flowers but onto the bar.

Mark Viduka was a handful for Leicester

Leeds enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges, but the match only really came to life with two goals in the space of five minutes.

A slip by Marshall on the right of the Leicester area in the 27th minute allowed Kewell to pick out Smith with a low cross.

Callum Davidson just got a toe to the ball only to see it go in off the Leeds striker.

Leicester hit back in the 32nd courtesy of Ferdinand's own goal.

The Leeds skipper found his own net under pressure from Dean Sturridge after Junior Lewis's close-range header from an Andy Impey cross had come down off the bar.

All of a sudden it started to go wrong....a lot of it stems from our defeat to Wycombe in the Cup

  Peter Taylor

The equaliser sparked an intense period of Leeds pressure, and the home team nearly went ahead again through Viduka on 40 minutes.

Some sparkling approach play set him up with the goal at his mercy, but his low shot from 10 yards brought a stunning right-handed save from Flowers.

The ball hit the upright but stayed in play, and Rowett just managed to clear the danger with Harry Kewell charging in.

Kewell was guilty of several near misses as Leeds kept up their attacking tempo throughout the game but ultimately it did not matter - the Uefa Cup awaits them next season.

---

Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte, Bowyer, Bakke, Dacourt, Kewell, Smith, Viduka. Subs: Radebe, Robinson, McPhail, Wilcox, Maybury.

Leicester: Flowers, Impey, Rowett, Marshall, Sinclair, Savage, Lewis, Davidson, Jones, Sturridge, Akinbiyi. Subs: Royce, Gunnlaugsson, Oakes, Benjamin, Delaney.

Referee: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill)