David O'Leary reaction 
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Alex Sharratt reports

Harry Kewell responded to his manager's wake up call with a stunning goal as Leeds progressed to the fourth round of the UEFA Cup with a 4-3 aggregate victory over Grasshoppers on Thursday evening.

David O'Leary admitted on Wednesday that he had told his Australian star it was time to deliver after failing to hit form this season, and Kewell's performance was one of the highlights of a poor Leeds performance.

A 2-2 draw at Elland Road was enough for the home side to progress to the next stage, but O'Leary was livid at his side after twice letting the Swiss side back in to the tie with sloppy mistakes.

Ravaged by injuries, Leeds were again forced to tinker with their formation to accommodate their few available  players, with Kewell playing behind a three-man strike force of Mark Viduka, Alan Smith and Robbie Keane.

But although four goals were scored and despite the attacking quality of the home side, the match was a stale affair.

The offside flag had thwarted Smith on three occasions when in promising positions before Kewell finally illuminated the evening with a stunning opening goal in the 19th minute.

A Grasshoppers free kick was partially cleared by Gary Kelly and when the ball fell to Oliver Dacourt on the edge of the Leeds box, the Frenchman flicked the ball in to the path of the rampaging Kewell.

The little Aussie glided past Mihai Tararache and with the visitors having committed most of their defenders to the free-kick, Kewell was faced with 70 yards of space and only one Grasshoppers man to beat.

Running with the grace and confidence that made him a multi-million pound Serie A target two years ago, Kewell nonchalantly outpaced Ronald Scwegler before lifting the ball over the advancing goalkeeper with his rarely-used right boot.

The goal clearly energised Kewell as he crashed a 25-yard shot against the bar minutes later, but the 3-1 aggregate advantage only served to make David O'Leary's men complacent.

The Australian chips Jehle to score a stunning opener

With just a minute to play in the first period, Rio Ferdinand put Danny Mills under pressure with a poor pass on the edge of the Leeds box and though the ball broke to Nigel Martyn, he failed to hold it and Uruguayan Nunez nipped in to bundle the ball home.

The goal seemed to have set up an exciting second half, but less than a minute later Robbie Keane restored the two-goal cushion with his eighth goal of the season, firing home from the edge of the box after good work from Viduka and Smith.

With the tie all-but over, there was little to interest a 40,000-plus crowd in the second period before Nunez struck a 25-yard left-foot shot in to the bottom corner in the final minute to deny Leeds only their third win in the last ten matches.

And the frustration on the face of their manager was clear at the final whistle, although the Irishman will take some comfort from the two-month break in the competition, allowing him some time to arrest United's poor league form before the resumption. 

Leeds: Martyn, Kelly, Ferdinand, Mills, Harte, Smith, Batty, Dacourt, Kewell, Keane, Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Robinson, Wilcox, Duberry, McMaster, Richardson.
Booked: Batty.

Grasshoppers: Jehle, Schwegler, Hodel, Castillo, Smiljanic (Morales 74), Cabanas (Ippoliti 66), Diop, Tararache, Gerber (Mwaruwari 59), Nunez Pereyra, Chapuisat.
Subs Not Used: Benaglio, Baturina, Spycher, Jaggy.
Booked: Diop.

Agg (4-3)
Att: 40,014
Ref: F De Bleecker (Belgium).

Opta Index (Match Stats)

Leeds	Team	Grasshoppers
2	Goals	2
4	Shots On Target (inc Goals)	5
6	Shots Off Target	7
3	Blocked Shots	3
5	Corners	4
12	Fouls	13
6	Offsides	3
1	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	0