Leeds hold Malaga comfortably - half-time

Malaga 0 Leeds 0

Leeds put their troubles of the past week behind them as they more than matched UEFA Cup third-round opponents Malaga during the first half of their first leg on the Costa del Sol.

When Lee Bowyer was brought down five yards outside the Malaga penalty area after being sandwiched by two defenders, it gave Ian Harte a perfect free-kick opportunity, only for the Republic of Ireland star to drive his shot straight into the wall.

A Woodgate foul on Romero just before the half-hour mark midway inside the Leeds half led to unnecessary bout of pushing and shoving between a number of the players, with Smith unsurprisingly involved.

It must have caught the attention of Italian referee Alfredo Trentalange for within a minute, after Smith had been brought down by Romero, he earned a caution for stupidly pushing over the Uruguayan midfielder.

There must have been consternation on the Leeds bench minutes later when Smith and Contreras went for a 50-50-ball just outside the Malaga area, with the Leeds striker lunging into the challenge.

But fortunately there was no contact and, although Contreras went to ground holding his leg and a baying crowd demanded Smith’s dismissal, the keeper had only fallen awkwardly.

In between Malaga wasted a fine opportunity when a Sandro quick free-kick picked out Kiki Musampa, but the Dutchman blazed over from 16 yards.

Just before the break Contreras was called upon to save his side again when Kewell rifled in an angled drive from a Wilcox pass, only for the shot to be punched away.