When it comes to Europe things just get better and better for Leeds United. There is something about these nights, the intoxicating atmosphere of European football, that brings out the best in David O'Leary's team and now they stand heroically on the brink of further glory.

By overwhelming an Anderlecht side that, believe it or not, had won their last nine European ties on home soil, Leeds not only confirmed their reputation as fearless travellers but projected themselves to a new plateau.

For long spells at Elland Road nine days ago Anderlecht had played the more intelligent and constructive football but once the plumes of smoke generated by the fans' flares had dispersed Leeds produced such an accomplished performance their hosts looked bilious with fear.

Eirik Bakke sounded their intentions with a venomous drive after only eight minutes and their early adventure was rewarded five minutes later when Smith poached only his second goal in 27 games and his first since scoring the winner at the Stadio Olimpico in early December.

The coltish striker instigated the attack with a ball that manoeuvred space for Mark Viduka close to the left corner flag and when the Australian sent over a precise centre the home defence were thrown by Bakke's dummy run. Smith darted in from behind and from eight yards side-footed a volley past the hopelessly exposed Milojevic.

So far so good but there was more to come. Anderlecht's tendency to pour forward at every chance always left them vulnerable in defence and after 34 minutes Leeds capitalised with a fine breakaway goal.

This time Dominic Matteo surged down the left before delivering a deep cross to the far post for Viduka to out-jump his marker and loop a header that seemed to stay in the air for an age before oh-so-wonderfully dropping into the opposite side of the goal.

It was incredible stuff and after another four minutes O'Leary was dancing on the pitch, apparently doing his best impression of David Pleat's infamous boggle-eyed dance a la Luton Town. David Batty's tenacity won the ball in midfield and with the home players caught short yet again in defence his through ball was weighted perfectly for the alert Smith to run clear and dink an exquisite shot over Milojevic.

On a playing surface resembling a potato field Smith and Viduka continued to weave their elaborate patterns after the re-start.

Moreover Rio Ferdinand and Lucas Radebe policed the Belgian attack so expertly that, apart a couple of dashes off his goal line, Nigel Martyn spent much of the second half as a spectator until Jan Koller headed a soft consolation from Didier Dheedene's free-kick 14 minutes from time.

That prompted a few flutters but when Glen de Boerk climbed all over Viduka five minutes later Ian Harte made sure of victory from the penalty spot. The glorious adventure goes on.

ANDERLECHT: Milojevic, Ilic, De Boeck, Crasson, Vanderhaeghe, Goor, Dheedene, Baseggio, Stoica, Radzinski, Koller. Subs: Carlier, Van Diemen, Hasi, Pirard, Dindane, Youla, Traore.

LEEDS UNITED: Martyn, Harte, Radebe, Ferdinand, Mills, Matteo, Batty, Dacourt, Bakke, Smith, Viduka. Subs: Robinson, Kewell, Wilcox, Burns, Maybury.

Referee: R Pederson (Norway)