Zaporizhzhya 1 Leeds - 1 Leeds United were forced to play on a pitch more suitable for grazing donkeys here in Dnepropetrovsk last night and nearly ended up looking like asses themselves. Terry Venables and his players left this antiquated little stadium grateful to have dodged one of the most galling results in the club's history.

Only the late intervention of Nick Barmby, sparing their blushes with a 77th-minute equaliser, saved Leeds from extra-time against a team who had never before played in Europe and have struggled so badly in the Ukraine first division that they have already sacked one manager this season and issued an official apology to their supporters.

In mitigation, Venables pointed out that the toffee-pudding pitch was more suited to an alehouse kick-about than a European tie. But, privately at least, the Leeds manager must be dismayed by his side's lack of imagination and guile, not to mention their apparent inability to string more than three or four passes together.

For all their possession, the potential for embarrassment seemed to inhibit their attacking thrusts, with little width or penetration and too many players going walkabout.

With Mark Viduka dropped for the first time in his Leeds career, and Stephen McPhail making his first start in a year, they played with little momentum and found themselves faced by the possibility of an upset after going a goal down in the 24th minute.

Fabio Vasconcelos cut in from the right and speared a left-foot shot against the crossbar and Irakli Modebadze reacted first to score with a looping header.

All Leeds could muster in the first half was a chance for Dominic Matteo after their opponents were guilty of some slack marking at a corner. Matteo connected with the ball meatily enough but the goalkeeper, Andriy Glushchenko, rewarded with a new kitchen after his heroics in the first leg, possibly earned some new pots and pans with his save.

Leeds played better after the interval but Venables could not escape the fact that their equaliser came from the only move in which they managed to get behind Metalurg's defence. Harry Kewell, who otherwise had a dreadful game, wriggled to the byline, his cross was palmed out by Glushchenko, Smith could not direct a header on target but the ball fell invitingly for Barmby to score.

Tempers had been frayed for most of the night and shortly after the equaliser Uros Milosavljevic was sent off for his second bookable offence, scything through Barmby and then spitting at him.

Others should have gone before him when the umpteenth clash between Lee Bowyer and Tomislav Visevic prompted a mass confrontation in front of the dugouts but, somewhat incredibly, the Turkish referee, Muhittin Bosat, took no action when Bowyer, Barmby and Danny Mills could all have been in trouble. UEFA may not be so lenient.

METALURG ZAPORIZHZHYA: Glushchenko, Valuta, Dodic, Raty, Visevic, Vasconcelos, Klyuchyk, Milosavijevic, Akopyan, Lapko, Modebadze. Subs Not Used: Zolna, Savinov, Baston, Toledo, Blanchim Hansen, Ivashchenko, Zayats. Sent Off: Milosavijevic (80). Booked: Milosavijevic, Modebadze. Goals: Modebadze 24.

LEEDS: Robinson, Kelly, Mills, Matteo (Duberry 90), Harte, Bakke, McPhail, Barmby, Bowyer, Smith, Kewell. Subs Not Used: Martyn, Viduka, Okon, Burns, McMaster, Dacourt. Goals: Barmby 77.

Referee: M Bosat (Turkey).