The 2001–02 FA Cup third-round association football match between Cardiff City and Leeds United was played at Ninian Park, Cardiff, on 6 January 2002. Leeds were leading the Premier League at the time while Cardiff were placed 10th in the Second Division, the third tier and two tiers below their opposition. The match was played in front of more than 22,000 spectators, the largest attendance for any fixture played during the season.
About Cardiff City F.C. 2–1 Leeds United F.C. (2002) in brief
The 2001–02 FA Cup third-round association football match between Cardiff City and Leeds United was played at Ninian Park, Cardiff, on 6 January 2002. Leeds were leading the Premier League at the time while Cardiff were placed 10th in the Second Division, the third tier and two tiers below their opposition. The match was played in front of more than 22,000 spectators, the largest attendance for any fixture played during the season. Leeds took the lead in the 12th minute via a goal from striker Mark Viduka. Cardiff equalised shortly after, when Graham Kavanagh scored direct from a free-kick. Shortly before half-time, Leeds midfielder Alan Smith was controversially sent off for clashing with Cardiff’s Andy Legg. With three minutes remaining, Scott Young volleyed the ball into the net from a corner to give Cardiff the lead and the eventual win. As the match ended, Cardiff fans launched a pitch invasion that led to confrontations between the two sets of supporters. Four arrests were made at the game while more were made in the ensuing weeks based on police footage and Cardiff and their fans faced widespread criticism. Cardiff were eventually fined £20,000 over the pitch invasion. Leeds defender Michael Duberry returned to the first team after recovering from a leg injury. This was the first time Duberry had been involved with the side since testifying against teammate Jonathan Woodgate during a much-publicised legal case following an incident in 2000 in which Woodgate and teammate Lee Bowyer were accused of attacking a student outside a nightclub in Leeds.
Woodgate was eventually found guilty of affray three weeks before the match, but was cleared of causing grevious bodily harm, and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. Duberry subsequently received death threats over his decision. Leeds had further strengthened their squad with the signing of Robbie Fowler from Liverpool less than two months before the fixture for a fee of around £11 million. The two sides had not met in competitive competition since the 1984–85 season, during which they recorded a 1–1 draw and a 2–1 victory for Cardiff. Leeds manager David O’Leary predicted that his side would’start and end our FA Cup run in Cardiff’ in reference to the final being held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Cardiff had won twice in the Third Division under manager Alan Cork the previous season and had broken their transfer record in the opening months of the season under Stoke City manager Peter Thorne. The club entered the first round of the FA Cup in November 2001 on a four-game winless streak but they entered the match again on a fourth-game winning streak. As a Premier League side, Leeds received byes through the first two rounds of the 2001–01 FA Cup and entered the competition in the third round. They were drawn against Second Division side Cardiff City. At the time, Leeds were placed first in the top tier of English football and Cardiff were in 10th position in their division, two tiers above Leeds.
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