Harry Kewell ended 25 years of European misery for Leeds with a breathtaking goal to send his side into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.

United's golden boy lit up Elland Road with his 12th goal of the season to beat the talent-laden multi-millionaires of Roma and set up a last-eight date with Slavia Prague.

Kewell will again have had the many scouts from across Europe drooling with yet another glittering performance which will have sent his value soaring.

The Australian international striker is already rated in the £20million bracket but it is a figure which the mega-rich sides of Serie A and the Primera Liga are unlikely to baulk at.

Chairman Peter Ridsdale is likely to have to fend off a host of enquiries from the plethora of Italian and Spanish sides who are certain to tempt Kewell away from Yorkshire with the lure of the lire and the pull of the peseta.

But for now Kewell is a hero to the thousands of Leeds fans, many of whom will have seen the game explode into fury in the dying moments of an exhilarating encounter.

Zago had already been booked in the 69th minute when he upended substitute Alan Smith in injury time, which prompted an angry face-to-face confrontation between the duo.

As players from both sides gathered amid a brewing storm, French left-back Vincent Candela then headbutted Darren Huckerby, which forced Spanish referee Jose-Maria Garcia Aranda to show both Roma players the red card.

It was a gritty end to pulsating performance from Leeds following their display in the Stadio Olimpico seven days ago.

Roma had spurned a host of chances in that game, although they ran into in-form goalkeeper Nigel Martyn on one of those never-to-be forgotten European glory evenings for Leeds which only doubled in unbridled intensity tonight.

Despite a backs-to-the-wall performance in which United had little choice but to defend to the hilt, Roma's animated coach Fabio Capello criticised Leeds for their stoical approach.

Capello then effectively threw down the gauntlet to O'Leary by claiming Leeds would have to play with more attacking panache if they wanted to claim their quarter-final place.

With a two-legged affair against the Czechs at stake, Leeds did not disappoint as a rearguard action of a week ago was replaced by a forthright display as they took the fight to the Italian giants.

Roma, so suave and slick in front of their own fans, were now hustled and harried by a United side who have so often impressed with their flair, but who also know how to throw the opposition out of their stride.

Inspirational skipper Francesco Totti, believed to be playing with a pain-killing injection for an injury to his left foot, had pulled the strings in Rome.

But for better finishing and that performance from Martyn, the Serie A side could have held the upper hand going into this return at Elland Road.

O'Leary knew that on this occasion Totti would have to be contained if his side were to reach the quarter-finals of a European competition for the first time since 1975.

Totti was at least forced to play in a deeper role, which led to his supply line not proving as effective bar the only heart-stopping moment of the first half for Leeds in the final minute.

Totti played a one-two with £15million star Vincenzo Montella for the latter player to run on behind a previously resilient United defence and attempt a lofted toe-poke over Martyn, only for the England international to stretch and pluck the ball out of the air.

Despite United's determination up front they initially ran into a Roma rearguard which had come into the game with an astonishing defensive record in this season's competition having conceded just one goal in their seven previous ties.

But despite the mystique and aura which surrounds the Serie A side they had hardly sparkled away from the majesty of their 80,000-seater palace in recent times, winning one and losing five of their previous nine away matches.

And although not scoring in the Italian capital, Leeds and O'Leary knew having held Roma to what was a gallant goalless draw, this was their time to strike a blow for English football in the face of such talent.

Norwegian international Eirik Bakke was the first to come close for Leeds as he drifted between the challenges of Amedeo Mangone and Candela, but his close-range angled shot was somehow trapped between the legs of goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli.

Kewell then provided a taster of what was later to light up Elland Road as he received another pass from Bowyer from the right and again created space for himself before a left-foot drive which Antonioli tipped beyond the left-hand post.

Roma's only chance of the second period came early in the half, and with Alfie Haaland - at centre-back for Jonathan Woodgate, who was out with a calf strain - off the field as he received treatment to a knee injury.

Haaland had been exemplary to that point, so there was a sigh of relief when he returned to the field after treatment to what appeared to be a knee injury.

But that was not until Aldair had latched on to a corner from Alessandro Rinaldi, operating at right-back due to a knee injury to Brazil's World Cup-winning captain Cafu.

But the header from the Samba centre-back was directed straight into the Elland Road turf as Martyn then watched it bounce over his crossbar.

Minutes later Leeds then carved out their best chance to that point as Kewell, spearheading a three-on-one break, picked out a wide-open Bowyer to his right, with Michael Bridges having also been available to the left.

But the England Under-21 international, who has been guilty of spurning several golden opportunities in recent games, then chose to inexplicably drive from distance - to the agony of fans and team-mates alike - when he could easily have taken the ball on.

The agony of that moment soon turned to ecstasy in the 67th minute as Kewell added another £5million to his price tag with a goal which will live long in the memory.

It was Haaland who initially set up the deadlock-breaker with a cavalier charge at Roma's defence, and although losing the ball, Bowyer picked up the pieces and fed Kewell wide to his left.

Kewell, with a delightful shimmy to sidestep the challenge of Damiano Tommasi, then cracked in his drive which Antonioli could only push into the roof of the net.

Leeds were rarely troubled in those closing exchanges as Roma eventually lost the plot, but for United a UEFA Cup final date in Copenhagen in mid-May does not seem so far away.

Teams

Leeds: Martyn, Kelly, Haaland, Radebe, Harte, Bowyer, Bakke (Jones 84), McPhail (Huckerby 89), Wilcox, Bridges (Smith 82), Kewell.

Subs Not Used: Hopkin, Mills, Duberry, Robinson.

Booked: Bridges, Haaland, Smith.

Goals: Kewell 67.

Roma: Antonioli, Zago, Aldair, Mangone, Rinaldi, Nakata (Di Francesco 77), Tommasi, Candela, Totti, Montella, Delvecchio.

Subs Not Used: Zanetti, Lupatelli, Blasi, Tomic, Gourenko, Lanzaro.

Sent Off: Zago (90), Candela (90).

Booked: Totti, Candela, Delvecchio, Zago.

Agg (1-0)

Att: 39,149

Ref: J M Garcia-Aranda Encinar (Spain).