Leeds United maintained their chase for second spot in the Premiership thanks to goals from Robbie Keane and Mark Viduka against Chelsea at Elland Road this morning. It took David O'Leary's men until the 85th minute to score but it was worth the wait. Keane, left out of the Irish team that beat Andorra mid-week, only came on for Leeds with ten minutes to go, replacing Harry Kewell, but it proved an inspired substutition by O'Leary.
Before that, the match was not short of competitiveness and although neither side held back in their challenges and referee Steve Dunn was forced to show the yellow card on seven occasions, no one was sent off. The excitement before the kick-off centred around the long-awaited return of former Leeds favourite Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink whose infamous departure two years ago ensured his every touch was jeered today.
However, Hasselbaink was subdued and far from his usual flamboyant self, and it was Leeds who had the better chances throughout this game but just couldn't make them count. Rio Ferdinand, Lee Bowyer and Harry Kewell all wasted chances in the first-half while a free-kick 30 yards out from Olivier Dacourt managed to skim the crossbar.
Chelsea's best chance of scoring actually came courtesy of Leeds' Irish full-back Ian Harte. A dangerous low cross from Graeme Le Saux was intercepted by the Irish international but his attempted clearance bounced upwards and seemed to be looping over Nigel Martyn into the goalmouth until the England keeper managed to tip it out for a corner.
Leeds continued to press forward in the second 45-minutes and Cudicini was called upon to make good saves from Bowyer and Viduka. Although Chelsea had little to show for their efforts in the second-half, a swerving 25-yard strike from the foot of Gianfranco Zola had Martyn beaten but hit the left-hand post.
The breakthrough came following the arrival of Keane on the field. The Dubliner bore down on Cudicini in the Chelsea goal and avoided the keeper's attempted block to round him and fire home his 10th of the season for Leeds. It was no more than Leeds deserved and less than two minutes later, they were two up when Harte's long-ball into the box found Viduka who had peeled away from Desailly and the Australian fired a wonderful lob over Cudicini to secure the three points.
To check all the rest of today's results from the Premiership click here.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
