Date: Thursday, 23rd March 2000

Date: Thursday, 23rd March 2000.

Venue: Stadio Evzen Rosicky, Prague, Czech Republic.

Competition: UEFA Cup, Quarter-Final, Second Leg.

Score: Slavia Prague 2 Leeds United 1.

Scorers: Slavia Prague: Ulich (2, 1 pen). Leeds United: Kewell.

Attendance: 15,000.

Teams:

Slavia Prague: Cerny; L. Dosek, Koller, Hysky, Kozel; Ulich, T. Dosek (Wagner), Dostalek (Lerch), Skala; Kucher (Vozabal), Zelenka.Unused Subs: Christofik, Vadavik.

Leeds United: Martyn; Haaland, Woodgate, Radebe; Kelly, Bakke, Jones, McPhail, Harte; Bridges (Smith), Kewell. Unused Subs: Hopkin, Mills, Duberry, Huckerby, Wilcox, Robinson.

Referee: Oguz Sarvan (Turkey).

Slavia Prague switched the UEFA Cup quarter-final clash from their Eden Stadium to the Stadio Evzen Rosicky. The Strahov, as it is known, is traditionally the venue for big European ties and both Slavia and Sparta regularly switch matches to the four-stadium complex. The change in venue mattered little to the 2,000 travelling United fans as Leeds won the tie on aggregate to reach the Semi-Finals. Harry Kewell netted United's goal in the Czech Republic, but the damage had already been done with a 3-0 success at Elland Road.

Even in the face of an unlikely defeat United completed their task in the Czech Republic to march into the Semi-Finals of the UEFA Cup. Their 3-0 advantage from the first leg was always going to be insurmountable against a team that had convinced themselves that that was the case. Slavia, the leaders of the Czech Republic domestic league with an undefeated tag in that competition, while in the UEFA competition they had not been beaten at home. The hosts had a mountain to climb and they had to do it without their inspirational captain Karel Rada, but then Leeds were similarly handicapped with the suspension of Lee Bowyer, but had Jonathan Woodgate back from injury to line up with Lucas Radebe and Alf-Inge Haaland in the back three. Jason Wilcox made way for Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Jones came into the five-man midfield for Lee Bowyer.

Ivo Ulich won a right-wing corner in the second minute but Alf-Inge Haaland headed clear the resulting corner from Tomas Kuchar, and Matthew Jones made a telling tackle on Ludek Zelenka on the edge of the box. Eirik Bakke was felled when going forward but progress from the resulting Ian Harte free-kick was halted by the linesman’s flag. Michael Bridges wriggled his way through to set up a chance for Stephen McPhail but Radek Cerny was quickly off his line to smother the shot. United had weathered the opening fifteen minute storm and should have gone ahead two minutes later when Harry Kewell teed up Gary Kelly, but his strong shot was just wide. After thirty-two minutes Martin Hysky was booked for holding back Harry Kewell and Jonathan Woodgate headed just over from the resulting Ian Harte free-kick. Then Harry Kewell should have scored but shot over from four yards after being set up by Michael Bridges. There were chances for Stephen McPhail and Michael Bridges for Leeds and at the other end Slavia attacked in numbers but half time came with the game still scoreless.

United then put the tie well beyond Slavia’s reach with a goal from Harry Kewell only two minutes into the second half. Stephen McPhail found Kewell with a pin-point pass and he scored decisively with a crisp drive from twelve yards. It was Kewell’s fifteenth goal of the season, his fifth in consecutive matches and it was the signal for Alan Smith to come on to replace Michael Bridges, but Slavia were level on the night within five minutes when the unmarked Ivo Ulich coolly beat Nigel Martyn from the left of the area. It left United with forty minutes to negotiate but they had no intentions of passing that time by soaking up pressure and a run by Gary Kelly almost finished with a shot on goal. However in the seventy-ninth minute Ian Harte scythed down Ludek Zelenka in the area and Ivo Ulrich scored from the spot despite Nigel Martyn getting a hand to it. Moments later Martyn was forced into an acrobatic save to keep out a drive from Martin Hysky and Gary Kelly, who was enjoying his attacking runs, fired wide of the far post. That, however, was the last meaningful action of a defeat that was always going to be a famous victory as United eased through 4-2 on aggregate.