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Leeds go top with six of the best
Leeds United AFC went top of Group H with a thumping 6-0 victory against Besiktas JK - a record for the UEFA Champions League. The goals were shared around by the English club as they consolidated last week's victory over Milan AC, although Lee Bowyer scored two. Mark Viduka, Dominic Matteo, Eirik Bakke and substitute Darren Huckerby were the other scorers.Easy victory
It was a surprisingly easy victory against the Turkish club, who had trounced Barcelona 3-0 last week. But after Leeds had opened the scoring in the eighth minute there was little doubt about the outcome. Leeds were three up inside 22 minutes with the game as good as over. However, they refused to ease up, scoring two goals in the last four minutes.
Pandemonium As early as the third minute, Alan Smith was left unmarked but headed wide. Five minutes later Ian Harte found plenty of space to deliver a precise cross for Bowyer to turn in from close range. Ike Shorunmu, the Besiktas goalkeeper, made a fine save to deflect a shot from Viduka against the bar, but was unable to do anything stop the Australian from glancing home a header a few minutes later from a cross by Gary Kelly while his defence stood waiting for an offside decision. The only real chance of the first half to fall Besiktas' way was when Ahmet Dursun turned neatly on the ball, only to fire straight at Nigel Martyn. After 22 minutes Leeds made it three when a cross from Olivier Dacourt produced pandemonium in the Besiktas penalty area. As Shorunmu comes off his line, Dominic Matteo sidestepped him and slotted home.
Mercy Smith could and perhaps should have added a fourth with a diving header after Bakke had turned his defender before Besiktas came the closest they were to come to scoring all evening. Ahmet Dursun, with Nigel Martyn at his mercy, shoots across the face of goal, but the goalkeeper sticks out a foot and blocks the shot. In the space of a few minutes two players - Smith and Erman Güracar - remove themselves from the return match in Istanbul on October 18 following bookings, the Leeds player's being particularly unnecessary given his team's advantage in the game. Leeds make it 4-0 after 65 minutes with arguably the best goal of the evening. Viduka, finding the route to goal blocked by three red shirts, unselfishly tees up the ball for Bakke to drive home just inside an upright.
Flare-up The only blight on the match was a flare up between both sets of players in the 71st minute following a challenge by Miroslav Kahran on Lucas Radebe. Pascal Nouma appeared to strike the Leeds defender Danny Mills with his forearm. No action is taken by the referee but the Turkish player is withdrawn by his own club two minutes later. After 89 minutes, Eirik Bakke wins a corner with a header and from the resulting kick, Ian Harte heads the ball deep into the goalmouth where Huckerby turns sweetly on it to score. Finally, three minutes into added-on time, Huckerby turns a weary Turkish defender for Bowyer to score his second at the far post.
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