Jody Craddock loops the ball into his own goal
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Leeds kept their Champions League hopes flickering with a win at Elland Road which leaves Sunderland still searching for mathematical safety.
Jody Craddock's own goal gifted Leeds a first-half lead.
But the game swung in the space of a minute late on, with subsitute Robbie Keane sealing the points seconds after Patrick Mboma had missed a great chance for Sunderland.
Sunderland were on the back foot from the first whistle and it was no surprise when Leeds took an eighth-minute lead, although the circumstances were somewhat fortunate.
Danny Mills easily dispossessed Phillips on the half-way line to send Smith down the right touchline.
The England World Cup hopeful outstripped McCartney and played in a low dangerous cross.
Jody Craddock stretched out a leg but only succeeded in looping the ball over Thomas Sorensen.
Robbie Fowler twice went close with snap-shots and on 26 minutes longer studs in his boots would surely have brought a second.
But he made agonisingly thin contact as Bowyer fired the ball across the face of goal.
Leeds' grip in midfield forced Phillips ever deeper to look for the ball.
But a typically direct Sunderland move presented him with a sight of goal on 31 minutes, when a free-kick was loaded forward and Phillips volleyed the knock-down just wide.
A groin injury to Phillips forced Sunderland to replace him with Patrick Mboma at the start of the second-half.
The Cameroon striker's pace provided Leeds' defenders with a different problem.
Peter Reid's side stood firm against a spell of intense pressure as Leeds looked for the cushion of a second goal.
Bowyer twice went close as he fired in fierce shots from distance.
Sunderland then enjoyed a good spell, with Claudio Reyna firing wide.
Ian Harte denied the Black Cats an equaliser on 72 minutes, with a brave header from under his own crossbar after Kevin Kilbane's cross looped wickedly over Nigel Martyn off Mills' boot.
Quinn was inches away from making contact with Kilbane's cross.
Sorensen's rash excursion left him stranded as substitute Keane rounded him, but his effort from a tight angle was cleared by Craddock.
Mboma brilliantly controlled Quinn's knock-down on 81 minutes but blasted over from 12 yards with only Martyn to beat
Leeds punished that miss by doubling their lead a minute later.
As Sunderland pushed out, Keane was kept onside by the limping McCartney over by a corner flag, and the Irishman controlled Bakke's pass to slot past Sorensen
Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Woodgate, Matteo, Harte, Smith, Bakke, Batty, Bowyer, Fowler, Viduka. Subs: Robinson, Kelly, Keane, Wilcox, Johnson.
Sunderland: Sorensen, Williams, Bjorklund, Craddock, McCartney, McAteer, McCann, Reyna, Kilbane, Quinn, Phillips. Subs: Macho, Mboma, Bellion, Thirlwell, Butler.
Referee: P Jones (Loughborough)