Leeds United's Aussie star Harry Kewell, coveted by a string of Italian clubs, slapped a few million more lire on his price-tag with a spectacular winner against Roma last night.

Serie A giants AC Milan, Inter Milan and Lazio have all shown an interest in the 21-year-old Australian forward, who has hinted in the past that he would like to play in Italy.

No wonder Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale is prepared to break the bank to improve Kewell's pay - even though he is only eight months into his current four-year contract.

His fierce 67th minute strike sent Leeds into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup on a night of glory for United but one of disaster for Italian football.

Juventus and holders Parma also went out, leaving Italy with no representation in the last eight for the first time since 1984.

To rub salt into Roma's wounds they had Carlos Zago and Vincent Candela sent off in injury time.

Leeds will be back at Elland Road next Thursday to take on Slavia Prague and must be considered as genuine contenders, along with the Premiership's other representatives, Arsenal, to win the competition.

Serie A clubs have dominated the UEFA Cup in the last 10 years, winning it seven times (three finals being all-Italian affairs) and providing runners-up in two of the other three finals. But with all the Italians out of the way both Leeds and Arsenal must fancy their chances.

Roma had not conceded a goal in Europe for more than nine hours, so it was always going to need something special for Leeds to break the deadlock.

It came midway through the second half as Leeds, attacking the Don Revie Stand, switched the ball infield to Kewell who shifted the ball to his left before unleashing a 25-yard angled drive.

Goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli, at full stretch to his left, got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out.

Although Kewell was the matchwinner and was at the heart of all United's good moments in attack, the home heroes were in defence where Alf-Inge Haaland and Lucas Radebe were immense.

Haaland, only playing because Jonathon Woodgate's calf injury had not cleared up, was struggling to even get a place on the bench a few weeks ago. But his emergence at the back will be a welcome bonus as the matches start to pile up.

Predictably, Roma had the edge in individual skill with all their attacking moves going through the classy Francesco Totti, but his dazzling array of passing skills came to nought as strikers Marco Delvecchio and Vincenzo Montella were blotted out.

United keeper Nigel Martyn, the star of the Olympic Stadium seven days earlier, was so well protected this time that he had little more than routine things to do.

Leeds, unable to keep the ball for any great length of time, had fewer efforts at goal but had the clearer chances. In a tense first half, Eirik Bakke, the pick of the Leeds midfield, brought Antonioli to his knees with an angled drive before the keeper made a better save to stop a rasping Kewell 30-yarder.

Supreme skill by Kewell just after the hour created the chance of the night for Lee Bowyer, but the midfielder's poor form in front of goal continued as he shot wide.

Minutes later Kewell struck his golden goal to send Elland Road wild. Home fans had to endure a nerve-wracking final 15 minutes as Roma poured forward in search of the equaliser which would have taken them through on the away goals ruling, but United's defence remained cool, calm and collected.

That is more than can be said of some of the Roma players in the dying minutes as their frustration hit boiling point. Deep into injury time Zago clashed with substitute Alan Smith and the pair were booked. It was Zago's second caution, but he was unwilling to leave the field and in the jostling that followed Candela also saw red for butting - the pair eventually trooping off in disgrace.

But Leeds are not quite ready to make their European exit just yet and will now start favourites to make it to the semi-finals.

Thierry Henry bagged his 14th goal of the season as Arsenal - on the back of a 5-1 first leg win - breezed into the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup, 6-3 on aggregate.

The Londoners lost the second leg at Deportivo La Coruna, thanks to a late Ivan Perez winner following a Victor equaliser, but after the Spaniards had earlier seen chances come and go against an under-strength Arsenal defence, the outcome was never in doubt. The Gunners now play Germany's Werder Bremen.

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