Leeds United 2 - 2 Grasshopper Zurich

	Harry Kewell scores Leeds' first (CliveMason/Allsport)

Harry Kewell conjured a marvellous strike at Elland Road to answer David O'Leary's pre-match challenge and set Leeds on their way to the last 16.

The gifted Australian shrugged off a mediocre start to the season and raced 80 yards to fire home with a spectacular right-foot shot.

The sides swapped quick-fire goals in first-half injury time, with Robbie Keane snatching back the lead after Richard Nunez had equalised, and Nunez's second goal, in the 90th minute, brought the sides level on the night. But it was Kewell's glorious goal that had the fans chattering afterwards.

Leeds manager O'Leary had admitted before the third-round tie that Kewell, 23, had yet to 'explode' this season, but he triggered a huge ovation with the stunning goal that ignited this match.

Having been asked to provide the sort of performance that led to chairman Peter Ridsdale putting a £40million price tag on him, Kewell obliged just 19 minutes into a second leg that leapt suddenly from the mundane to the magical.

He was only just outside his own penalty area when he received the ball from Olivier Dacourt, and set off on a run that had the crowd roaring by the time he had crossed the halfway line.

Mihai Tararache tried and failed to halt Kewell, who was given a roving role for the night by injury-hit O'Leary, and by the time last defender Roland Schwegler made his desperate lunge it was too late.

Kewell's finish, powerful and accurate as Liechtenstein goalkeeper Peter Jehle dived, was never in doubt.

O'Leary's side went into the match in a comfortable position for a change after losing away legs in both previous rounds against Maritimo and Troyes, but were looking for a convincing victory to add to their 2-1 first-leg win in Zurich a fortnight earlier.

After an impressive start that saw them lead the Premiership in September and October, Leeds' recent record made more sober reading for their expectant fans with just two wins in nine matches before the game.

Not only had they surrendered their unbeaten Premiership record at Sunderland, but a Worthington Cup defeat by great rivals Chelsea in their last game at Elland Road put at least one trophy beyond O'Leary's grasp.

Kewell looked determined to shake off the disappointment he and teammate Mark Viduka shared in Australia's failed attempt at World Cup qualification, a trip that inevitably left Leeds in a weakened state for the November programme they found such hard going.

Wearing black gloves against the chill Yorkshire night, he made sure that the Grasshopper defence stayed on their toes and could easily have had a second goal in the 28th minute when he drifted past Boris Smiljanic and unleashed a shot that cannoned off the crossbar.

But as the first half drew to a close, the Swiss founds themselves back on terms - at least on the night - following rare defensive errors from two of Leeds' most dependable players.

Skipper Rio Ferdinand passed across the defence with too much power for Danny Mills to collect and Stephane Chapuisat was able to get in a crucial block tackle as Mills stretched to clear.

Nigel Martyn, perhaps caught off guard, might still have collected the ball as it reached him but his fumble, with the Leeds rearguard in disarray, offered Uruguayan Nunez the chance to score his 20th goal in 26 matches this season.

The Elland Road crowd fell quiet, but for only a minute. Mills, frustrated at the way Leeds had conceded the equaliser, launched a swift counterattack. Alan Smith dummied and Keane dashed clear and hit the ball low beyond Jehle and into his bottom left-hand corner.

The Swiss had travelled with enthusiasm, feeling hard done by from a rain-lashed first leg in which they missed several chances and saw Martyn save a penalty in the game's defining moment, and their goal did nothing to quash their flickering hopes of salvaging something.

They almost pulled off their second surprise of the night 10 minutes into the second half, and this time it was England right back Mills who was caught out by a huge clearance from the Zurich defence.

Mills, deputising for the injured Dominic Matteo, appeared to misjudged the bounce and Nunez was away, but Mills effected a superb recovery to catch up with the pacy South American just as he was about to shoot and his lunging tackle was enough to put him off.

Viduka went close as Leeds pressed for a third, his shot as he fell taking a deflection off a Zurich boot to clear the crossbar before the big Australian hammered in another effort that Jehle was more than happy to parry.

Senegalese midfielder Bouba picked up a 69th minute booking for a shuddering challenge on Alan Smith, who trotted away without a glance, but by then it was clear that a 4-2 aggregate would be enough to see Leeds into the fourth-round draw on Wednesday.

Nunez equalised with virtually the last kick of the game. His 25-yard shot caught Martyn unawares and the ball skidded low past the Leeds keeper and into the bottom corner.