A late penalty from Mark Viduka brought Leeds United a victory on the pitch to match financial victory off it as it rose from the bottom of the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Manchester City Monday.
Leeds overtook Wolves to take 19th spot and is now only three points from safety after successfully harnessing the positive fallout from Friday's ?30 million (US$55.2 million) takeover.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The club was ?100 million (US$184 million) in debt and close to bankruptcy. New chairman Gerald Krasner has estimated rebuilding will take up to five years, underscoring the serious threat of relegation to the first division.
PHOTO: AFP
Manager Eddie Gray has always maintained hope however and Leeds' players mirrored his optimism against a City side who finished with 10 men at Elland Road.
Belgian defender Daniel Van Buyten was sent off in the 75th minute for the foul which conceded the decisive penalty.
City came into the match fired by a 4-1 derby victory over Manchester United. But Leeds took the lead on 22 minutes when Stephen McPhail curled a right-wing free kick in off the right-hand post of the unsighted City goalkeeper David James.
The Ireland midfielder could not have chosen a better moment for his first goal in four league games since returning from a loan to first division Nottingham Forest.
City responded perfectly to the touchline urgings of manager Kevin Keegan. Michael Tarnat had a free kick deflected against a post and Robbie Fowler had a shot deflected over the bar before Nicolas Anelka leveled two minutes before halftime.
The French striker scored his ninth goal in 10 starts with a low angled drive from the edge of the penalty box after a layoff from Antoine Sibierski
Anelka's strike enhanced his campaign for a return to France duty at the European Championship finals following his recent end to his self-imposed international exile.
City edged control in midfield the longer the match went on but Sibierski had a header well saved by Paul Robinson then Anelka shot wastefully over the bar on an assist from Van Buyten.
The Belgian then played a crucial role in the decisive goal at the other end. His push on Alan Smith prompted both the award of a penalty and a red card.
Viduka struck home the penalty kick for a win to encourage Leeds for battles ahead. Four fellow strugglers as well as leader Arsenal and second place Chelsea lie among its opponents in a daunting run-in.
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