Leeds United 2 - 0 Chelsea

	A grounded Marcel Desailly watches Mark Viduka smash the second (TomShaw/Allsport)

It was, of course, never going to be a fixture they merely coasted through. This was the sort of rumbustious confrontation that occurs whenever they and Chelsea come within kicking distance of each other.

Seven players booked - five from Chelsea - raised the number of cautions when these two firebrands collide to a startling 61 in the past 10 years.

Make no mistake, Chelsea were light years away from the lily-livered combination who have sacrificed a potential Premiership challenge entirely through a shameful lack of commitment and endeavour away from Stamford Bridge.

Leeds' eventual triumph - executed emphatically in the last five minutes of mainly abrasive and always snarling action - tells an impressive story of a team who really are capable of taking each game as it comes.

Manager David O'Leary nominated for selection the line-up he almost certainly intends to employ against the Spaniards, but in the end was grateful for his inspired substitutions.

In fact, Chelsea had been enjoying their most positive period before Robbie Keane profited handsomely from the efficient service provided by fellow substitute Eirik Bakke to force the ball past the despairing Carlo Cudicini at the second attempt.

Just before, Gianfranco Zola had hit the outside of a Leeds post with a typically deceptive effort from 25 yards and Mario Melchiot headed powerfully straight at goalkeeper Nigel Martyn when he should have scored.

Alas, there was simply no holding resurgent Leeds after Keane had scored his ninth goal in 17 appearances, a mere four minutes after being called on to replace the tiring Harry Kewell.

Three minutes later and some naive defending by young John Terry, plus an uncommonly dilatory intervention from Marcel Desailly, allowed Mark Viduka to wallop an unstoppable second.

Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri said: 'It was upsetting to lose the game inside the final five minutes. I think a goalless draw would have been the fairest result. But credit must be given to Leeds for continuing to fight to the end.'

Ranieri, a former Valencia coach, was sufficiently impressed by Leeds to suggest their chances of reaching the Champions League final this season should not be underestimated.

'Valencia are a very good team who reached the final last season and they are extremely well organised,' said Ranieri. 'But so, too, are Leeds. I think the games will be very much 50-50.'

With the incredible energy of Alan Smith capable of disturbing the composure of even the world's finest defenders, and Kewell brandishing a bag of tricks, Leeds always seem capable of contributing goals when it matters.

And with the vastly improved Rio Ferdinand alongside the quietly imperious Dominic Matteo at the centre of their defensive strategy, they will be equally tough to break down.

Indeed, the closest call for goalkeeper Martyn came in the eighth minute when he superbly turned over a deflection off his own defender Ian Harte.

There was no joy, either, for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Returning to Elland Road for the first time since his contentious departure to Atletico Madrid two seasons ago, Chelsea's first 20-goal-a-season striker since Kerry Dixon 11 years ago was afforded a torrent of abuse and a yellow card following a nasty assault on Olivier Dacourt. But Hasselbaink barely had an effective kick of the ball.

So there was plenty of satisfaction for a positively beaming O'Leary to celebrate his 100th Premiership game as Leeds manager.

He said: 'I think we'll have to play better against Valencia on Wednesday but this game will stand us in extremely good stead. It will be great if we can get some early goals and win 3-0.

'But we will have to be patient because we know we can only get through by being good over two games. Just as in this game, Valencia will be all about maintaining our discipline, our shape and our patience.'

No matter what remains for Leeds in the remainder of the season, the victory confirmed qualification at least for next season's UEFA Cup. O'Leary added: 'I think our PLC would have wanted us to take part in the InterToto competition if all else had failed.

'I was very concerned about that but at least the players now know they won't have to face me in June. We can all get a good holiday away from each other.'