Michael Bridges made his long-awaited return from a two-year injury nightmare to help spark Leeds to victory on what was otherwise a European night to forget as they edged past Metalurg Zaporizhya 1-0.

When Bridges last played for Leeds almost two years ago, United were embarking on a heady Champions League adventure which carried them all the way to the semi-finals.

The likes of AC Milan, Anderlecht and Deportivo La Coruna all fell victim to what was a vibrant Leeds team which then lacked fear and played with passion.

On this occasion in United's first leg of their UEFA Cup first-round tie, the passion was distinctly missing, while boss Terry Venables' side were also short on ideas against managerless Metallurg, currently struggling in their own Ukrainian Premier League.

The arrival of Bridges in the 65th minute provided the second-loudest cheer of the night, bettered only by that which greeted the goal he helped set up for Alan Smith 10 minutes from time.

It has been a long, hard, lonely road back to the first team for Bridges whose last game was in October 2000, one which ended prematurely when he was stretchered off in a Champions League clash against Besiktas in Istanbul with what proved to be an initial Achilles injury.

Bridges went on to suffer one problem after another, with the most soul-destroying being a cruciate ligament injury which ultimately threatened his career, forcing him to turn to renowned surgeon Richard Steadman in Colorado.

The £5million capture from Sunderland in the summer of 1999, who went on to become top scorer with 21 goals the following season, then endured a lengthy rehabilitation period.

Following a successful pre-season and three reserve matches this campaign, Venables chose this game to give Bridges the comeback he has waited for, and he did not disappoint.

With Leeds struggling against the Ukrainian unknowns and with a shock goalless draw on the cards, the breakthrough finally came when Gary Kelly pumped a long ball forward for Bridges to chase.

He did just that, but in ultimately winning it, he appeared to push Oleg Raty off the ball before laying it back for Smith, who had the simple task of sliding it home with his left foot from six yards.

Finnish referee Mikko Vuorela nor his linesman failed to spot the foul, allowing Leeds to celebrate a fortuitous goal, and ultimately a fortuitous victory.

After the ecstasy of wins over Newcastle and hated rivals Manchester United in the preceding week, this was just agony for the 30,000 crowd inside what was for the majority of the match an eerily quiet Elland Road.

Odds of just 8-1 for a 5-0 victory signified the bookmakers were expecting a flood of goals, making for a comfortable return in two weeks' time for the second leg.

But that is going to be far from the case as a day described by Metalurg president Victor Mezheyko as "the proudest" of his life turned into something beyond his wildest dreams.

The contrast between the two teams is remarkable as Leeds are currently riding high in the Premiership, while Zaporizhya are a lowly 15th of 18 in their league, with just two wins and a paltry six goals from nine games to their credit.

Their miserable early season form prompted Mezheyko to sack manager Oleg Taran and his assistant Sergei Bashkarov earlier this month, installing goalkeeping coach Oleg Litkov as caretaker.

The average earnings of a player in the Zaporizhya squad is just £3,200 a month, a sum the likes of Mark Viduka earns in a day, yet you would barely have guessed that was the case following this dire display.

Not for the first time - either this season under Venables or in previous campaigns with David O'Leary - Leeds proved they do not have the nous to break down a team which comes to defend.

Sunderland staged a smash-and-grab 1-0 victory three weeks ago after playing the majority of the match with 10 men behind the ball, and Leeds again made hard work of breaking down their Eastern European opponents.

Goalkeeper Andriy Glushchenko was given little to do during the first half, but found himself extended after the break against a Leeds time without injured skipper Dominic Matteo and midfielder Nick Barmby.

Glushchenko was forced into a number of smart saves from Smith, Ian Harte, Harry Kewell, and in the five minutes of added time, Lucas Radebe who struck a sweet 18-yard volley which was superbly parried away.

Zaporizhya, playing with a sweeper and just one up front, mustered little in terms of an attacking threat, although Paul Robinson was called upon early in the first half to make a smothering stop from Fabio Vasconcelos, but that was his only meaningful call to arms.

Despite this narrow margin of victory, Leeds should still reach the second round, with the second leg at Dnepr's Meteor Ground situated 50 miles from Zaporizhya because their stadium has been deemed unfit by UEFA to host European football.

Teams

Leeds (0) 1 Metalurg Zaporizhzhya (0) 0

Leeds: Robinson, Kelly, Radebe, Woodgate, Harte, Bakke, Dacourt (McPhail 65), Bowyer, Kewell, Smith, Viduka (Bridges 65).

Subs Not Used: Martyn, Mills, Okon, Burns, McMaster.

Booked: Dacourt.

Goals: Smith 80.

Metalurg Zaporizhzhya: Glushchenko, Valuta, Raty, Klyuchyk, Visevic, Dodic, Vasconcelos, Milosavijevic, Smirnov (Zayats 90), Akopyan, Modebadze (Brdanin 59), Brdanin (Rodri 90).

Subs Not Used: Zolna, Hansen, Lapko, Savinov.

Booked: Glushchenko, Visevic.

Att: 30,000

Ref: M Vuorela (Finland).