Champions League 3rd Qualifying Round, 1st Leg: Wednesday 9 August 2000 Leeds United 2 - 1 TSV 1860 Munich (Half-time: 1 - 0) Crowd: 33769 Referee: C Kapitanis (Cyprus)
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Match Facts
Leeds United	Team	TSV 1860 Munich
Nigel Martyn		Michael Hoffman
Gary Kelly		Martin Max
Ian Harte		Tomas Votava
Michael Duberry		Marko Kurz
Lucas Radebe		Ned Zelic
Olivier Dacourt		Martin Starnzl
Eirik Bakke		Erik Mykland
Lee Bowyer		Harald Cerny
Alan Smith		Thomas Hassler
Michael Bridges		Daniel Bierofka
Mark Viduka		Paul Agostino
Subs
Paul Robinson		Ehler
Danny Mills		Jentsch
Robert Molenaar		Bernhard Winkler
Jamie McMaster		Steffan Passlack
Gareth Evans		Daniel Borimirov
Darren Huckerby		Reidl
Tony Hackworth		Beierle

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Leeds 2 v 1860 Munich 1 - stotty

Leeds' first taste of Champions League football, and one that will be remembered for many years to come.

To put it mildly....THE REFEREE WAS A W@@KER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Leeds suffer late setback - Daniel Taylor

Copy from Football Unlimited of 10/08/2000.

Leeds United's first venture into Champions League territory turned sour last night and as a result their campaign is in danger of fizzling out before it has hardly begun.

A header from 1860 Munich's Paul Agostino three minutes into injury-time secured an away goal for his club and left his team as hot favourites to progress to the group stage.

To compound Leeds' misery they had two players, Olivier Dacourt and Eirik Bakke, sent off in the second half, and both will miss the return leg in 13 days' time.

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Leeds rattled as Dacourt and Bowyer see red - Phil Shaw

Copy from The Independent of 10/08/2000.

A calamitous final 15 minutes undid much of Leeds' excellent work in the previous 75 at Elland Road last night, leaving them to face an uphill task in the second leg of their Champions' League, third qualifying round tie against 1860 Munich in the Olympiastadion on 23 August.

Leeds, leading through Alan Smith's header and an Ian Harte penalty against a side depleted by the dismissal of their Australian sweeper, Ned Zelic, had Olivier Dacourt and Eirik Bakke sent off for second bookableoffences after 74 and 84 minutes respectively. Dacourt, the £7.2m club-record capture from Lens, was making his debut.

As if that were not dispiriting enough for the Leeds manager, David O'Leary, who will now have two of his three fit midfielders suspended for the game in Germany, 1860 secured a potentially priceless away goal through the former Bristol City striker, Paul Agostino, deep in stoppage time.

Leeds' supporters vented their wrath at a fussy referee, Costas Kapitanis, at the end. Counting the second yellow cards shown to Dacourt and Bakke – who cannot escape criticism for their indiscipline – he issued seven cautions in a match which often had the feel of a pre-season friendly.

O'Leary, who described the bookings as "harsh", sensibly declined to condemn the official afterwards, saying: "I'd love to say a lot but I can't." He was downbeat about Leeds' prospects. "I'm not very confident, to tell you the truth. That's not being defeatist, just being realistic. That was astupid goal to give away."

Leeds can take some encouragement from the evidence that 1860, fourth in the Bundesliga last season, are an unremarkable outfit and over- reliant on the wiles of Thomas Hässler. The 34-year-old, who has 101 German caps, must be policed more carefully when the quest to reach the lucrative group stage resumes in Bavaria.

The problem for O'Leary is that he is fast running out of bodies. "I'm not joking when I say I just don't know who I can field for the return match," he said. The Irishman was already without six internationals, and the only one likely to be available is Jonathan Woodgate – a central defender.

O'Leary's solution to Leeds' personnel crisis was characteristically positive. He used three strikers, Smith and Michael Bridges flanking the muscular Australian newcomer from Celtic, Mark Viduka. The boldness of the formation meant Dacourt's display in the holding role was especially important, and the Frenchman was looking assured by the time the drama took its first twist five minutes before the break.

The £6m Viduka rose to steer a long pass into the danger area, where Martin Stranzl did not get sufficient purchase on his back-header to Michael Hofmann. Smith nipped in to nod his first goal since 9 January .

Zelic, once of Queen's Park Rangers, promptly cut down Harte and paid for his recklessness with a red card when the offence warranted no more than a yellow.

Dacourt's first booking, after he had ploughed into Marko Kurz, arrived three minutes into the second half. Bakke soon followed after the referee spotted a stray elbow.

They appeared likely to be no more than minor blemishes on Leeds' performance after Harald Cerny felled the lively Smith with 19 minutes remaining. Harte sent Hofmann the wrong way from the spot.

Even after the departure of Dacourt, for alleged diving, Leeds looked comfortable. But Bakke's exit, after further illegal use of an arm, encouraged 1860 into a belated siege.

Nigel Martyn twice thwarted Hässler, but the diminutive schemer was not to be denied. In the dying seconds, his cross found Agostino, yet another Australian, outjumping Lucas Radebe for a goal which may well condemn Leeds to the consolation of another Uefa Cup campaign.

The report used to be available online here.

Leeds United 2 - 1 TSV Munich 1860 -

Copy from Soccernet of 09/08/2000.

Olivier Dacourt and Eirik Bakke both saw red for Leeds on a night when David O'Leary's side moved within touching distance of the riches of the Champions League.

French midfield enforcer Dacourt claimed to be reformed on his £7.2million club record arrival from Lens this summer.

His previous season in the Premier League with Everton saw Dacourt hauled before the Football Association's disciplinary committee after picking up 14 bookings and one red card.

Dacourt could claim to be hard done by given the over-zealous refereeing of Cypriot official Costas Kapitanis, who reduced the game to a lottery with a catalogue of ridiculous decisions.

Both Dacourt and Norwegian international Bakke were dismissed for second bookable offences, and given boss O'Leary's already injury-hit resources, the suspended duo will be sorely missed for the return in Munich in a fortnight's time.

But for Paul Agostino's last-gasp away goal for TSV, it would otherwise have been another European night to remember at Elland Road despite Kapitanis' bid to outshine the players.

For Leeds, the vibrant Alan Smith was the star of the show, scoring the opener and playing his part in the second.

It was Smith's first goal in eight months, and he now looks to be the player which set the Premiership alight two seasons ago, hitting the bigtime when he came off the bench to score with his first touch in top flight football.

The goals continued to flow during that campaign, but last summer the 19-year-old sustained an ankle injury problem which led to a season of frustration.

Smith struggled all the way through, never recapturing the form which had made him such an instant hit on that never-to-be-forgotten debut.

The Leeds-born youngster chose to delay surgery, and in doing so managed to score just six goals last season, with his last being in the 5-2 FA Cup win at Manchester City on January 9.

But after finally going under the knife at the start of the close season, Smith now looks leaner, hungrier and sharper and so it proved five minutes from the break in this third round qualifying tie.

Operating in an attacking three-man frontline alongside new £6million signing Mark Viduka and Michael Bridges, it was clear O'Leary decided to go for TSV's jugular.

It was Viduka's headed through ball which created the chance in what had been a quiet half to that point.

Centre-back Martin Stranzl thought he was playing safe in heading the ball back to Michael Hofmann, but Smith seized on the opportunity to head past the stranded goalkeeper.

Then Kapitanis ruled the roost, first by reducing TSV to 10 men with the 42nd-minute dismissal of Ned Zelic, the Australian international team-mate of both Viduka and Kewell.

Having already fouled United skipper Lucas Radebe, Zelic then followed that up with an innocuous challenge on Ian Harte, leaving the full-back in a heap on the ground.

Although Leeds had the man advantage, it took a dubious decision by Kapitanis to see them open a two-goal lead when Smith was adjudged to have been bundled over by Harald Cerny.

Up stepped Ian Harte to send Hofmann the wrong way, but within minutes the playing numbers were evened up when Dacourt was given his early bath in the 74th minute.

Having being awarded yellow for a foul on Stranzl within a minute of the restart, Kapitanis then brought out the red for what he believed was a `dive', but the Frenchman was harshly done by.

Midfielder Bakke soon followed in the 84th minute as he followed up an initial yellow for a foul with a second for deliberate handball.

With Leeds now down to nine men, TSV who finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season scented the opportunity of an away goal.

The Germans had barely troubled goalkeeper Nigel Martyn in the 90 minutes, but in the third minute of injury time, former Bristol City striker Agostino rose to head home a Thomas Hassler cross.

The Australian's finish for the vital away goal has now set up what will certainly be a tense return in Munich.

The report used to be available online here.

Leeds at the double as Smith and Harte's heroics pay off - Matthew Dunn

Copy from SportLive of 09/08/2000.

SportLive is no longer operational. Should it return to the web, this report will be removed and the link restored.

Leeds took a step closer to a £10million bonanza when they beat Germany's TSV 1860 Munich in the first leg of their third round Champions League qualifier.

Alan Smith's first goal since January 9 launched Leeds' latest European adventure after their UEFA Cup semi-final last season and the piece of individual skill that led to Ian Harte's penalty put them in a commanding position before Paul Agostino's late strike.

However, red cards for Olivier Dacourt and Eirik Bakke after the Germans had already been reduced to 10 men spoiled an otherwise fine night for Leeds.

The £7.2million Frenchman gained a reputation for disciplinary problems at Everton and had already been booked for a foul on Steffan Passlack when he was shown a second yellow for diving. And Bakke followed him into the dressing room for a harshly-judged elbow and deliberate handball late in the game - innocuous enough reasons in a game between two such bitter national rivals.

It took just one whistle - the first of the game - for Nigel Martyn's assertion that the England-Germany rivalry does not filter down to the players to be proved utterly wrong.

This was the first competitive game this season for both sides but there was no way Leeds' aggressive youngsters were going to lie down in the face of a very physical approach from Werner Lorant's side.

Both teams feel they have a right to be in the league phase of Europe's premier competition having finished third and fourth in the English and German leagues respectively, and neither were going to let an unlucky draw count against them.

A number of hefty challenges escaped further censure from Cypriot referee Costas Kapitanis until Tomas Votava scythed down Bakke and was promptly shown the yellow card.

It might have been a Czech Republic international fouling a Norwegian but the intensity of the clash between two such deep-seated rivals was never far below the surface and home-grown talent Marko Kurz soon followed Votava into the book for a foul on Mark Viduka.

The Australian striker was forced to play despite still recovering from an ankle injury, due to a depressing number of absentees elsewhere.

But despite the loss of Harry Kewell, David Batty, Stephen McPhail, Jason Wilcox, Jonathon Woodgate and Matthew Jones to injury, Leeds played the brighter football even though David O'Leary had insisted this first leg was simply about damage limitation. Viduka showed early signs of justifying his £6million price tag with some neat touches and after 18 minutes he found Lee Bowyer in the TSV penalty area with a clever pass.

The 23-year-old's shot was blocked and Smith's follow-up from even closer range was shut down by Erik Mykland, but goalkeeper Michael Hofmann had to earn his keep nine minutes later when he touched Bowyer's 25-yard shot round the post.

Then the Germans hit the self-destruct button. Viduka's harmless flick towards goal from Ian Harte's long ball was intercepted by Martin Stranzl, but his header to the goalkeeper was too weak and Smith nipped in to open the scoring in the 39th minute.

Less than a minute later the visitors also went behind in numbers. Ned Zelic crashed into Lucas Radebe but the referee played an advantage only for the Australian to immediately slide into Harte to send the Irishman onto the deck.

The red card was immediate and despite the 29-year-old's reluctance to leave, the Germans were left with a lot to think about at half-time.

Inevitably, Leeds were given a lot more space in the second half and Bakke had an age to line up a shot from 30 yards after 53 minutes but could only graze the bar. But it would be wrong to describe proceedings as comfortable. O'Leary could not hide his disgust when Kapitanis gave a foul on Harte the other way and his fist-shaking earned a rebuke from the referee.

Just after the hour, Smith slipped when presented with a golden opportunity to double his tally for the night and minutes later Gary Kelly blazed a much harder chance inches over from 20 yards.

At the other end, Martyn was called into action for the first time after 67 minutes when he had to be alert to turn veteran German international Thomas Hassler's free-kick round the post and did well to hold the same player's shot from open play a minute later.

But it was Smith again who proved decisive when his tight turn on the end of the area tricked Harald Cerny into fouling him and Harte, who has been prolific with his free-kicks, proved he was just as deadly when the set-piece is 12 yards away.

The Dacourt and Bakke dismissals were clearly a major disappointment but a one-goal lead could still be enough for the second leg in a fortnight's time, especially with some of those injuries due to return.

The report used to be available online here.

Leeds' European dream at risk - William Johnson

Copy from Electronic Telegraph of 09/08/2000.

LEEDS UNITED ruined their night's work when Erik Bakke and Olivier Dacourt were dismissed in the second half of their third qualifying round first leg and then 1860 Munich scored in stoppage time.

Paul Agostino's header from Thomas Hässler's cross altered the complexion of the tie. Munich, reduced to 10 men just before half-time, looked to be destined for elimination to the UEFA Cup after conceding goals to Alan Smith and Ian Harte.

The unprofessional way Dacourt and Bakke received their marching orders inspired the visitors, however, and after several late scares, Agostino was left in space to score the away goal which threatens to prove decisive in the Olympic Stadium return.

If the absence of six key players through injury had sent Leeds into this hugely important tie in downbeat mood they did not show it. Perhaps taking inspiration from their unblemished pre-season campaign of six successive victories and 24 goals, they were excellent value for their interval lead.

David O'Leary's team were put in even greater heart for the second half by having an extra man. Ned Zelic, an Australian international defender who lists Queens Park Rangers among his nine previous employers, was senselessly dismissed in the immediate aftermath of the Leeds goal.

After celebrating Smith's breakthrough after 39 minutes, the home supporters found themselves wincing as Zelic scythed down both Lucas Radebe and Harte in quick succession on the left touchline.

The Cypriot referee, who had already booked two Munich players, waved for advantage as Radebe was felled but took severe action when a clearly ruffled Zelic clattered into Harte.

Harte's previous contribution to the Leeds cause was to begin the move which resulted in Smith scoring for the first time since the FA Cup destruction of Manchester City in January.

Mark Viduka, making an encouraging competitive debut following his £6 million summer signing from Celtic, won the penalty area scramble for possession, forcing Martin Stranzl into an unwise backheader towards his goalkeeper. Smith anticipated the error and got there fractionally before the advancing Michael Hofmann to head in.

Leeds might have gone ahead on three other occasions before the interval. Their first serious attack ended with the goalkeeper taking a Lee Bowyer cross off the head of the in-rushing Eirik Bakke; Smith's close-range shot was then blocked after good approach work by Viduka and Harte, while Bowyer saw a crisp effort from outside the penalty area deflected wide.

Any thoughts Leeds had of being able to dominate the second half disappeared as Munich put up a spirited display of resilience and even threatened to equalise on a couple of occasions before Leeds were presented with the two-goal cushion they were looking for. The referee had irritated O'Leary, who received a stern touchline lecture, with a series of strange decisions but the Leeds supporters were grateful for his firm officiating in awarding them a penalty 19 minutes from the end when there appeared little or no chance of a goal.

Smith's impact on the tie soared when he went skipping into the penalty area and went down just inside the box under Harald Cerny's unnecessary challenge when several covering defenders were well placed to snuff out the danger. Harte sent Hoffman the wrong way from the spot.

Just when Leeds thought everything was under control, they handed their opponents numerical equality and then supremacy through two of the most bizarre dismissals. Firstly they lost £7.2 million signing Dacourt and then Bakke, his midfield partner, both for second cautions.

Dacourt was judged to have taken a dive in bursting down the middle and trooped off to cheers from the home faithful. Many in a 33,769 crowd were bemused by the departure of Bakke, however, the Norwegian stupidly handling the ball into the Munich penalty area to warrant his second yellow card.

Those 12 minutes of mayhem proved crucial as Munich dictated the closing stages.

The report used to be available online here.

United see red at ref's display - Phil Rostron

Copy from Yorkshire Evening Post of 10/08/2000.

SOME years ago when I was in Cyprus a hopelessly confused local gentleman who was the wrong side of 80 offered me a lemon, believing it to be an orange, from a richly-endowed tree in a garden he clearly adored.

Bless him, I thought, and discarded the fruit discreetly.

I swear I saw him again last night. He looks younger and fitter now, but the men in white coats are on red alert.

They all shout "You don't know what you're doing" at Mr Costas Kapitanis, but his oblivion is such that he merely waves his arms about crazily in gesticulation and carries on in his own sweet way.

The prospect of our paths crossing again is remote and we should perhaps all take solace from that.

He is probably unaware of it, but he almost single-handedly put a nasty dent in the Champions League ambitions of Leeds United. There they were, cruising nicely in a 2-0 lead, when he suddenly took it upon himself to reduce their number to nine.

Then the big finger fell off his watch so that the game drifted into a 94th minute in which the Germans, with oceans of space now, contrived that most priceless of assets in such competition, an away goal.

An early flashing header from Kurz which cleared the bar demonstrated the Germans' attacking intent and Hassler fired in a free-kick which was comfortably cleared.

Viduka, Bakke and Bowyer linked well as Leeds threaded together their first move and when Bowyer's cross was delivered with pinpoint accuracy Hofmann was forced into some hasty work to punch clear off Bakke's head.

Dacourt showed some good early touches, winning his tackles and distributing well, and the £7.2m summer import from Lens was always ready with some pointed advice for his colleagues.

But 1860 were enjoying lengthy periods of possession in which they were too cosy.

Things looked more promising for Leeds when successive chances fell at the feet of Bowyer and Smith but, in a crowded area, they were unable to find a telling touch.

Duberry was getting the better of some physical exchanges with Agostino and Leeds again came forward with Harte winning a left wing corner. But pushing in the box ended their interest.

Back came 1860 and Votava thundered in a 25-yard shot which Martyn was happy to see clear his right hand post.

Some smart work by Smith produced a corner on the right and it took some closeshepherding of Bridges by Stranzl to avert the danger. A Bowyer snapshot forced Hofmann into conceding another corner, but again Leeds were unable to capitalise.

Fouls on Bakke and Viduka brought rapid-fire bookings for Votava and Kurz as United picked up the pace, but Max relieved the pressure by winning a corner on the left.

Agostino was awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position seven minutes before the break and Hassler's dipping effort was cleared for a corner. Leeds survived and were swiftly on the offensive through Viduka, whose whipped-in cross deserved a better finish.

But one came instantly, Viduka crossing for Stranzl to underweigh his header back to Hofmann and the alert Smith pouncing between them with a more conclusive nod of his own.

A minute later the Germans' world was collapsing around them, with Zelic receiving his marching orders for apparently piling into Harte on the touchline.

Bakke almost put Leeds two up in the 52nd minute, letting fly with a right foot shot from Harte's pass 25 yards out and being unlucky to see it drift over the bar.

Boss David O'Leary got a ticking off from referee Kapitanis for his animated response to a free-kick decision and within minutes he was having a go at the UEFA official stationed close to him when Bakke was yellow-carded for an innocuous-looking challenge.

Leeds started to pile it on and Kelly scraped the paintwork on the bar with a thunderous drive from 20 yards.

Hassler tried to fool Martyn with a free-kick towards the near post instead of the anticipated centre, but he was alert to the danger. And Martyn triumphed again when the former German international attempted to curl the ball round him from close range, spurning their best chance of the match.

Immediately, on 71 minutes, Smith turned Cerny in the box and was unceremoniously brought down, giving Harte the chance to convert the penalty.

Dacourt, on his Leeds debut, paid the price for a blatant dive in a bid to win a free kick four minutes later and was sent off to a standing ovation.

So, in the 84th minute, was Eirik Bakke, who joined him in an early bath for deliberate handball. They were both second bookable offences and a clear illustration of the eggshells upon which players must tread these days.

Hassler forced Martyn into a flying save with a minute left, and the keeper again did well when Kurz rapped in a goalbound shot.

He could do nothing, though, three minutes into injury time as Paul Agostino guided his header from Hassler's cross into the bottom corner.

Agonising though that was, United enjoyed a night of big plus points. Smith, spring-heeled, menacing and lurking throughout with intent, had his best game in ages.

New boys Viduka, with such a great first touch and excellent close control for someone his size, and Dacourt, lightning-quick with everything he does, really look the part and Bowyer, in unfamiliar territory on the left of midfield, was a class act.

United won this without the injured Kewell, McPhail, Wilcox, Woodgate, Jones and Batty and that is a massive tribute to those who carried Leeds to triumph on a particularly difficult night.

The report used to be available online here.

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