O'Leary's boys show their class

The game had see-sawed throughout, with Fabrizio Ravanelli, late of the Riverside Stadium, infuriating Leeds fans with his repertoire of circus stunt falls. It was the Old Grey Fox who had started the goal avalanche in the 20th minute with a trademark header, cleverly making space for himself behind the naive Danny Mills to head downwards.

Leeds, playing their 16th different formation of the season, always looked vulnerable at the back, especially when the darting Claudio Lopez and Lucas Castroman got within range.

O'Leary had his own weapon in the remarkable Lee Bowyer. He equalised in the 27th-minute with a wonderful shot, twisting like a contortionist to deliver Harry Kewell's headed pass over Luca Marchegiani and into the top far corner.

Within a minute, however, the Italians were ahead again, this time from a Mihajlovic penalty after Dominic Matteo had pulled down Ravanelli.

When Leeds achieved parity again three minutes before half-time it was from a superb volley by Jason Wilcox direct from an Ian Harte corner, the ball zipping through the legs of Castroman at the near post.

Bowyer missed a good chance to increase the lead just after half-time and Mark Viduka showed him how it should be done with a powerful header to another of those expertly delivered Harte free-kicks.

That looked good enough to win the day. But Dino Zoff was not taking a second beating from Leeds and on came Salas.

The Chile striker quickly reminded everybody what he was about with a lovely shot which came back to Paul Robinson off an upright.

Robinson had already made a wonderful save to keep out a Mihajlovic free kick but when he faced another in injury time, the Yugoslav produced a clinical finish.

It was one last show of pride from Lazio before their fall from the competition.