Leeds United 6 - 0 Besiktas

	Huckerby celebrates number five for Leeds (PhilCole/Allsport)

Not even in David O'Leary's wildest fantasies could he have imagined a night like this, in which a team still without five first-choice players would destroy the side that put three past Barcelona a week ago in such a stunning fashion.

It was too ridiculous to contemplate, especially given the backdrop to this game and the mental wounds that every Leeds player, supporter and member of staff still bears from April.

Yet, that is exactly what happened, and the biggest win of O'Leary's reign means his team will return to the banks of the Bosporus in three weeks' time on top of Group H and with a place in the next round of the Champions League shimmering tantalisingly in front of their eyes.

That is the scale of the turnaround in Leeds' fortunes since they were so embarrassed by Rivaldo and Co. in the Nou Camp a fortnight ago.

Perhaps it was only fitting that Lee Bowyer, whose Dida-assisted late winner against AC Milan last week made O'Leary's team begin to believe in themselves again, was able to top and tail this remarkable mauling.

But if Mark Viduka is destined to make a genuine impact in West Yorkshire, he will doubtless look back at this game as the one in which it all changed.

O'Leary has wrestled with his frustrations as the Australian opted to party around his native Sydney rather than rush back from his country's Olympic flop. When the £6million arrival from Celtic finally returned last weekend, the punishment was instantly inflicted.

No weekend off to recover. Instead, enforced training with the Under 15 side. It had the desired effect. The Viduka playing alongside Alan Smith was the one they had signed in the summer. Lithe and alert, wanting to play and to prove his point.

He did as well, as Leeds ensured that the bouquets the Besiktas team threw to the crowd in a gesture of friendship after the nightmare of Galatasaray were just the start of the gifts bestowed.

Nevio Scala's Parma side gave nothing away when he was coach there. But his Besiktas team was the opposite, swept aside by Leeds' unwilting desire to expose their defensive deficiencies.

The key was the width Leeds were able to utilise. At times they struggled at the back and on another day the clever Ahmet Dursun might have added another two to the brace he claimed against Barcelona eight days ago.

But there was nothing fortunate about any of the Leeds goals and only the agility of Nigerian goalkeeper Ike Shoronmu prevented double-figure embarrassment.

The opener - seconds after Miroslav Karhan had shot a whisker wide - summed up the night. Ian Harte's cross from the left was outstanding and even though Dominic Matteo could not make contact, Bowyer would not be denied.

It was the perfect start and within 22 minutes the game was over as Besiktas were taken apart time and again.

Viduka squandered one chance but did not have time to dwell on the miss as he finally grabbed his first in Leeds' colours. Gary Kelly's cross was little more than orthodox but the Besiktas defence walked forward, claiming offside.

It left Viduka and two other Leeds men on their own and the Aussie directed his header in from the penalty spot.

Two was already enough - Besiktas have now lost all five Champions League matches they have played outside Istanbul - but any doubt was ended when Matteo also claimed his first for the club soon afterwards.

Besiktas failed to react in any way to the short-corner routine which saw Bowyer feeding Olivier Dacourt and although the ball fell underneath Smith at the near post, Matteo was able to walk it home.

The only question now was how many would Leeds score?

Besiktas were disorganised and dreadful and Pascal Nouma ruled himself out of the next meeting with a silly booking for taking his shirt off after being replaced.

Smith, who also picked up a daft caution that rules him out of the game in Turkey, should have had a fourth from Eirik Bakke's pinpoint cross, yet Leeds, epitomising the spirit of O'Leary's side, kept on coming.

Viduka cleverly held the ball up to give Bakke the opportunity to crash home from 20 yards for the fourth.

Then substitute Darren Huckerby made his own point to the manager, swivelling on Harte's downward header to grab his first of the season in the final minute before surging down the left to give Bowyer a tap-in deep in added time.

It was the ideal end to a wonderful Leeds night. All has now changed. Who would have thought that just two weeks after their Nou Camp hiding, Leeds would be on top of the group and Barcelona bottom?

The only hope is that they will return from Istanbul next time with only the football to talk about. Victory there and the one-time pipedream will be reality.

LEEDS UNITED (4-4-2): Martyn; Kelly, Mills, Radebe, Harte; Bowyer, Bakke, Dacourt (McPhail, 76min), Matteo; Smith (Huckerby, 81), Viduka. Booked: Dacourt, Smith.

BESIKTAS (3-5-2): Shorunmu; Erman (Rahim, 83), Umit, Khlestov; Nihat, Karhan, Tayfur, Ibrahim (Mehmet, 74), Munch; Nouma (Fazli, 72), Ahmet Dursun. Booked: Ibrahim, Tayfur, Nouma, Erman.

Man of the Match: Viduka