Hapoel Tel Aviv 1 Leeds United 4
Alan Smith made a memorable return for Leeds today, scoring four goals as the English Premiership strugglers beat Hapoel Tel Aviv 4-1 to book their place in the third round of the UEFA Cup.
Leeds won the first leg match 1-0 at Elland Road and qualify 5-1 on aggregate.
Leeds went into the match missing a host of key players however Smith - who has been sidelined with an ankle injury for Leeds' last two matches - was on hand to calm coach Terry Venables' selection dilemma.
Hapoel shocked the visitors with a quick goal after just two minutes but by the hour mark Smith had scored his third goal and effectively ended the match as a contest.
In an often ill-tempered match at the Artemio Franchi stadium - hosted here due to the ongoing crisis in Israel - midfielder Josef Abukasis beat Leeds 'keeper Paul Robinson with a curling shot after just two minutes.
However Leeds were the busier-looking of the two sides and came close on a number of occasions during the first half.
Smith claimed his first after pouncing on a loose ball in the penalty area after a slight deflection had turned it into his path and his shot from just left of the goal flew home on the half hour mark.
Hapoel started the second half the more lively and gave Leeds another scare within a minute when a dangerously floated ball found no takers and skimmed past Robinson's post.
But in the wake of Israeli pressure, Leeds scored their vital second goal of the match after a defensinve mix-up in the 54th minute.
Smith had chased down a ball on the right side of the area and while the defender waited for his 'keeper to come out and collect, Smith stuck his foot out and poked at the ball in mid-air to direct it into the net.
Ireland's Gary Kelly almost gifted the Israelis an equaliser when he inexplicably let the ball float past him, forcing Robinson to rush out and boot the ball to safety.
Smith's third goal in the 62nd minute came after an inviting pass from Kewell on the left wing left him with a free header. Although saved, Smith simply tapped in the rebound to claim his hat-trick.
However soon after tempers on the field flared and more than once the referee was forced to come between warring players.
In the 79th minute, temper got the better of Hapoel goalscorer Abukasis, whose abuse of the referee led to him being booked for a second time, and sent off.
Leeds and Smith's' fourth goal was a carbon copy of the third, with Kewell's cross from the left again finding his strike partner embarrassingly unmarked in front of goal with just seven minutes remaining.
Smith headed home the simplest of chances to hand Leeds, who sit 10th in the league table at home, hope for a brighter European future.