Newsgroup: it.sport.calcio
Titolo: Leeds

In onore di questi bravi ragazzi che hanno fatto un vero miracolo....
SUPER LEEDS DESTROY BELGIANS
21/2/2001 22:35
Sensational Leeds produced fantasy Champions League football to clinch a
place in the quarter-finals as boss David O'Leary's side threw the form book
out of the window with a 4-1 win over Anderlecht.
A devastating first-half performance of cut-and-thrust left Anderlecht's
previously proud record at the Stade Constant Vanden Stock in shreds, and
forced coach Aime Anthuenis to eat a large slice of humble pie.
Strikers Alan Smith and Mark Viduka ended their recent goal droughts in
destructive style against the Belgian champions, who had won 21 successive
home matches, as well as their last nine in Europe.
Such an astonishing run had included the notable scalps of PSV Eindhoven,
Dynamo Kiev, Lazio and Manchester United, but Leeds made a mockery of such
form at a ground which had proved a virtually impenetrable fortress.
Anthuenis had claimed after his team's 2-1 defeat at Elland Road last
Tuesday that Leeds were not a good side, but Smith, Viduka and the rest
rammed those words back down the throat of the 57-year-old.
It was another display which will undoubtedly confound those critics who
have consistently written off Leeds since the draw for the first group stage
in which they were paired with Barcelona and AC Milan.
The Spanish giants were sent spinning into the UEFA Cup at Leeds' expense,
and then when O'Leary's side were rewarded for their remarkable endeavours
with matches against Lazio and Real Madrid for the second group stage, the
presumption was their luck would run out.
But more by design than by luck, Leeds have defied the odds in the face of
domestic inconsistencies which have left O'Leary frustrated, not least
because of the problems which have blighted Leeds' season both on and off
the pitch.
A wretched injury crisis wrecked the first half of the campaign, with the
last few weeks and those ahead currently dominated by the trial involving
Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate at Hull Crown Court.
Bowyer, despite being one of the principal architects of Leeds' Euro
adventure, the midfielder having scored five goals in the Champions League
this season, was barely missed as he was also suspended.
That is testimony to the character and resilience of O'Leary's team, but
during an unforgettable first half they added the flair which has long been
missing from their armour.
As the smoke cleared from a score of red flares which greeted the teams, it
was Smith who emerged from the mist to end an 11-week goal drought.
Smith had not scored since netting the winner against Lazio in Rome on
December 5, but took his tally to 10 for the season and four in Europe by
sweeping home Mark Viduka's 14th-minute cross.
The 20-year-old has been forced into playing mainly as a substitute since
the high-profile arrival of Robbie Keane, but with the Republic of Ireland
international star ineligible for Champions League football, Smith has
stepped back into the breach.
Any disappointment from O'Leary at Danny Mills' 27th-minute booking ruling
out the right-back for the game in Madrid in a fortnight was short-lived as
Leeds tore Anderlecht apart, taking a 2-0 lead six minutes later.
Leeds spread the ball from right to left, with Olivier Dacourt feeding
Dominic Matteo and allowing the winger to deliver a whipped-in cross to the
far post where Viduka planted a looping header over the hapless Zvonko
Milojevic.
For the Australia international it ended a run of nine matches without a
goal, and from that moment the confidence in the United camp soared to such
an extent they sublimely carved open Anderlecht again in the 38th minute.
French star Dacourt first supplied Viduka, with a cheeky backheel sending
David Batty through and that was all the invitation needed for the
midfielder to in turn put Smith in the clear.
As Smith ran on, the young striker stunningly chipped his second of the game
over the advancing Milojevic, sparking jubilant scenes on the United bench
and among the fans.
Anderlecht were effectively dead-and-buried, although they briefly
threatened a comeback during a 10-minute purple patch during the second half
in which Jan Koller beat Nigel Martyn's punch to head home what proved a
mere consolation.
Either side of that Martyn produced superb saves to deny Bart Koor and
Koller, before the game was finally killed off nine minutes from time when
Ian Harte stroked home his fourth goal in eight matches from the penalty
spot after Viduka had been brought down by Glen de Boeck.
All that remained after Norwegian referee Rune Pedersen's final whistle on a
night to remember for Leeds was an agonising wait from Rome for the score
from the Olympic Stadium.
At least three minutes elapsed before a 2-2 draw was confirmed, ensuring
Leeds' qualification as the first English team into the last eight ahead of
Manchester United and Arsenal and at their first attempt.

> SUPER LEEDS DESTROY BELGIANS
Alan Smith velocissimo, bravissimo ad attaccare gli spazi nei pressi
dell'area e freddo davanti al portiere. Viduka vede la porta ma anche i
compagni meglio piazzati sa prendere le giuste scelte in area di rigore. Una
squadra ben assortita strutturata per fare risultato anche fuori casa.
Serataccia dell'Anderlecht, ma il Leeds ha impressionato. Quasi quasi
sarebbe da scommetterci su....

 > SUPER LEEDS

Eh togli il  quasi.....:)))
--
Kojiro
La Bestia Fan Club - Tessera n°3
Mastro[nzo] Fan Club - Tessera n°10

 sarebbe da scommetterci su....
Io non ho visto la partita, ma il Leeds l'ho visto giocare 2 volte col Milan
quest'anno, 1 volta con la Lazio e 2 volte lo scorso anno con la Roma.
IMHO e' una squadra mediocre che ha avuto dalla sua parte solo una gran dose
di fortuna.
Non credo possa aspirare a qualcosa piu' dei quarti di finale....
--
Sandrino,
Tessera #8 del ''Bestia fan club''
om-peig: 
web.tiscalinet.it/alessandrotrotta
Dal vangelo secondo La Bestia:
MAGARA VE LEVENO CINQUANTA PUNTI COSI VE SE LEVAMO DAR CAZZO

Non credo possa aspirare a qualcosa piu' dei quarti di
finale....
questo si che si chiama avere il salame negli occhi.... una
squadra che ha sempre, dico sempre, almeno 4 o 5 occasioni da rete
clamorose in una partita, contro chiunque (nota anche contro il Real con
cui ha perso di brutto...) la chiami una squdra qualunque? Sandrino
sandrino.... (ma vale anche per gli altri...) e' cosi difficile che ci si
era sbagliati e che il Leeds e' piu' forte di quanto noi e la stampa
vogliamo confermare????
:-))
--------------------------------
Inviato via 
http://usenet.iol.it
 

 cui ha perso di brutto...) la chiami una squdra qualunque?
Non ho detto ch e' una squadra qualunque, ho detto che IMHO e' mediocre.
Contro la Lazio ( e che Lazio) all'andata fece un solo tiro in porta,
gentile concessione di Pancarone, contro il Milan stessa cosa con relativo
regalo di Dida. Lo scorso anno elimino' la Roma grazie ad un jolly pescato
dal buon Kewell.
IMHO e' stata solo baciata dalla fortuna!
La Lazio attuale avrebbe fatto un sol boccone del Leeds.
Nulla a che fare col Valencia dello scorso anno che andava a mille e giocava
facendo spettacolo, quelli si che ci hanno massacrato :-((


om-peig:
web.tiscalinet.it/alessandrotrotta
--------------------------------
Inviato via 
http://usenet.iol.it
 

 mini sintesi o la partita intera?
la seconda che hai detto
Il tempo dira' chi ha ragione, l'anno scorso il Valencia (quella si che era
una squadra) arrivo' in finale, vediamo cosa sara' capace di fare il Leeds.


la seconda che hai detto
allora dici No tanto per dire....
insomma vuoi fare il bastian contrario e dici questa cosa....
se e' per
ridere metti le faccine.... perche' altrimenti ti prendo anche sul serio :-
)))
che poi il Leeds vada o meno in finale e' un'altra storia.... io
sinceramente mi auguro di no... perche' in finale ci sara' o il Real o il
Manchester e l'atra vorrei tanto che sia il mio Arsenal....
pero' non e'
il tempo che da ragione o meno, questo e' un gioco... quindi sono le
occasioni e le casualita' che danno la vittoria ad una anziche' ad
un'altra... 
Ciao


 Ciao
E' quello che volevo dire io, il Leeds si trova nei quarti grazie ad
occasioni e casualita'.
Ovviamente ci ha messo molto del suo, ma nel calcio, fortunatamente, non
sempre va avanti il piu' forte, e quindi onore al Leeds, ma non raccontiamo
che e' uno squadrone .....
