Late, late Bowyer keeps Leeds rolling

The Belgian champions soon made it plain they were out to break that run and could have taken the lead with less than 10 minutes on the clock.

Stoica produced a fierce drive from Jan Koller's layoff, a signal to Martyn that he would be seeing plenty of action.

But it was the devastating cross which Bertrand Crasson delivered in the ninth minute that not only split the Leeds defence but forced a collective intake of breath from the crowd, followed by gasps as first Koller at the near post, then Bart Goor at the far post, contrived to miss.

Giant Czech striker Koller, being watched by Sunderland boss Peter Reid, got a slight touch but only enough to send the ball skipping within inches of Martyn's unguarded right-hand post, where winger Goor somehow managed to arrive a split second too late.

It was a big let-off for Leeds but they found it difficult to come up with a meaningful riposte.

Smith, restored to the attack in the absence of cup-tied striker Robbie Keane, might have done better with the free header he was afforded from Olivier Dacourt's free kick, but he was perhaps just too far out to beat Milojevic. Harte drove in a low shot which Milojevic clutched at his near post and Anderlecht appeared comfortable enough with that.

When Leeds did threaten to break through, Anderlecht were not afraid to show the physical side of their game and centre back Glen De Boeck was rightly booked by referee Karl-Erik Nilsson for bringing down Mark Viduka in full flight.

Just as correctly, the cool Swedish official refused a Leeds penalty appeal when Dacourt appeared to run straight into De Boeck.