Leeds United: Robinson, Kelly, Matteo, Seth Johnson, Duberry, Camara, Millner, Morris, Sahko, Smith, Wilcox
Ref: Paul McKeon (Dublin)
Dublin Tournament: O'Leary's Villa notch win over Leeds
Leeds United: Robinson, Kelly, Matteo, Seth Johnson, Duberry, Camara, Millner, Morris, Sahko, Smith, Wilcox
Ref: Paul McKeon (Dublin)
Leeds United 2 (Barmby 87, Harte 92)
Aston Villa 2 (Kachloul 51, Hitzlsperger 67)
Penalties: Villa 4 (Samuel, Staunton, Allback, Hitzlsperger) Leeds 2
Aston Villa 2 (Kachloul 51, Hitzlsperger 67)
Penalties: Villa 4 (Samuel, Staunton, Allback, Hitzlsperger) Leeds 2
David O'Leary's Aston Villa took the honours in an entertaining all-Premiership clash in the Dublin Tournament at Tolka Park this evening, despite losing a two goal deficit in the second half. They eventually progressed after an exhaustive match, by four penalties to two, with unlucky Ian Harte hitting United's first wide.
From the first whistle, Villa’s Mustapha Hadji was prominent shooting wide on a number of occasions before Leeds were denied a penalty on the half hour when Alan Smith looked to have been bundled over, but referee Paul McKeon waved play on.
Smith was arguably the best player on the pitch in the first half with the striker having to receive treatment on 37 minutes following a clash with Hadji. Juan Pablo Angel headed over for Villa just before the break as Leeds French striker Sahko, formerly of Manchester City, linked well with James Millner before firing straight at Stefan Postma.
The second half saw ten changes from David O’Leary’s starting line-up with four replacements on the Leeds side. Immediate action came when a Peter Crouch header from a Ulises De la Cruz cross hit Paul Robinson’s cross bar.
A deep Villa cross on 51 minutes was met again by Crouch and he turned it superbly into the path of Hassan Kachloul who fired home from twelve yards.
Nick Barmby was pulled down in the area but awarded nothing on 56 minutes before Villa made it two with an individual goal from Thomas Hitzlsperger, who drove home on his right foot from twenty yards past Robinson.
The lively Barmby headed home past substitute Petr Enckelman on 87 minutes for what seemed like a late consolation. Substitute Ian Harte seemingly rescued the tie for Peter Reid's men with a curling 92nd minute free kick past Petr Enckleman's left arm.
The penalty shoot out saw Aston Villa take the upper hand with Steve Staunton netting, as did Thomas Hitzlsperger, Marcus Allback and Jay Lloyd Samuel. Ian Harte struck Leeds' first penalty wide and they eventually lost 4-2.