Leeds last night won a dramatic penalty shoot-out to calm George Graham's nerves and send the Yorkshire side through to the second round.
The clock stood at 15 minutes short of midnight in the Madeira holiday resort of Funchal when Lee Sharpe stepped up to drill his side's fourth successful penalty hone in a theatrical finale to Graham's reign as Leeds manager - if he decides to take the Tottenham job.
Maritimo, without a win in the Portuguese league this season, subjected Graham to a night of anxiety as they carried the game to their opponents and cancelled out the lead Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had given Leeds in the first leg.
The home side abandoned the defensive approach they showed at Elland Road and went ahead on the night on the stroke of halftime with a towering header by Jorge Soares from a free-kick by Adelino Lopes.
Graham's assistant manager David O'Leary was banished from the bench by the Austrian referee three minutes into extra-time for protesting about the antics of substitute Pedro Antonio. But O'Leary and Leeds had the last laugh, Alf Inge Haaland, Ian Harte, Danny Granville and Sharpe succeeding with their penalties whereas Alex Bunbury, the former West Ham striker, was the Portuguese team's only successful taker.
Tottenham should know late today whether Graham will leave Leeds and take on the challenge of managing the north London club he used to delight in thwarting during his Arsenal years.
"The situation has gone on far too long and when we get back to England I will tell George to make up his mind," the Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale said before last night's match.
Maritimo: Van Der Straeten, Jorge, Soares, J Silva, Jokanovic (P Silva 62), Bunbury, Oscar, Gama (Cruz 64), Eusebio, M Antonio, Lopes (P Antonio 87). Subs Not Used: Fernandez, Rodrigues, Vasco, Camara. Booked: Oscar, Jorge. Goals: Soares 45.
Leeds: Martyn, Haaland, Radebe, Hasselbaink, Bowyer (Wijnhard 76), Hopkin (Granville 120), Kewell (Sharpe 77), Harte, Hiden, Molenaar, Halle. Subs Not Used: Robinson, Wetherall, Lilley, Woodgate. Booked: Haaland.
Referee: F Stuchlik (Austria).
