Leeds United 2 - 3 Manchester United
(After Extra Time) Carling Cup 4th Round - Tuesday 28th October
Elland Road, Leeds
Tuesday 28th October 2003 will be remembered as a bad day in the history of Leeds United Football Club:
In the morning, the club announced record losses of £50 MILLION in a single year, and debts of £80 Million. Though the club executives regarded the news as "Optimistic", the club desperately needed to improve their league form, and to have as many games as possible in the cups - to get extra money from the ticket sales per game.
In the evening, a half full Elland road played host to arguably one of the most exciting games of the season so far. A game that saw Leeds crash out of one of their "money-making" cups. And though football was the real winner of the night - the players producing something that the newspapers can write about positively for a change - Leeds could take nothing but heart from the enthralling game.
Leeds put out a full strength side, bar Mark Viduka, whereas United fielded a few youngsters, who made up for a lack of experience with sheer enthusiasm and unpredictability.
The first half was dominated by the Yorkshire side, with Smith and Milner, Leeds young strike partnership, calling United reserve keeper Roy Carroll into action. At half time, even Sir Alex commented how lucky United were to have kept the score to nil all.
After an hour Roque Junior finally gave United a brutal wake-up call. He arrived at the far post to head in a well-worked Leeds corner. Conceding the goal, as ever, kick-started United into moving up a gear or two. The Reds started to take control of the ball, and to dominate the game with large spells of pressure on the Leeds goal.
After several off-side calls, and missed chances, United's young striker David Bellion was put through by an incisive Djemba-Djemba pass. The assistant Referee thankfully didn't raise his flag as the Frenchman cheekily slotted the ball through Leeds' keepers' legs, and into the back of the Leeds goal.
United retained the ball well, and were going in search of a winner when Leeds started a counter-attack. Chapuis - a Leeds substitute striker - was wrestled to the ground by United's Quinton Fortune. Whilst the Leeds players argued for a controversial penalty, United raced towards the Leeds goal, and Diego Forlan supplied the finishing touch to a superb move.
Leeds' players and fans were furious. Luckily for the referee, Roque Junior somehow managed to sneak behind the United defence just minutes after United had taken the lead. He beat Carroll for the second time of the night, and nearly scored his third goal when he deflected a ball towards his own goalkeeper, who reacted just in the nick of time.
After ninety minutes, the score was still two all, and, with it being a cup game, Extra time was to be played, followed by penalties if there was still no winner. Twenty-Seven minutes into extra time, United - who had enjoyed the majority of the ball for much of extra time - were awarded a corner after Chris Eagles, a 17 year old United prodigy, had a shot saved.
A Diego Forlan corner was lofted beautifully into the box, where Eric Djemba-Djemba waited to pounce. The Cameroonian international somehow managed to volley the ball over the Leeds keeper and into the back of the net. The "Scoop" shot was either a display of brilliance by the African, or a mis-hit shot. Either way, it gave United a well deserved lead, and eventual victory in an exciting and tumultuous game.
Leeds: Robinson; Kelly, Camara, Roque Junior, Harte; Milner, Seth Johnson, Olembe, Sakho; Smith, Bridges.
Subs: Carson, Chapuis, Duberry, Lennon, Domi.
Man Utd: Carroll; Phil Neville, Gary Neville, O'Shea, Fortune; Fletcher, Butt, Djemba-Djemba, Richardson; Bellion, Forlan.
Subs: Howard, Pugh, Lynch, Eddie Johnson, Eagles.
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).