Sven Goran Eriksson only stayed for the 1st half of this all Premiership friendly clash, but must have seen enough from Alan Smith in that time to know that he is ready for England's European challenge. Shame about the rest of the United side.
Jay Lloyd Samuel and Peter Enckelman were Villa heroes in the shoot-out, as Villa won 4-2 on penalties to set-up a final showdown with St Patricks later today. United play Shelbourne in the third place play-off.
Earlier Hassan Kachloul and Thomas Hitzlsperger had given Villa a 2-0 lead, only for Leeds to hit back through Barmby and Harte.
Leeds had the better of the opening spell as Villa, clearly affected by travel chaos in Dublin, struggled to find any early fluidity.
That said, Peter Whittingham might have opened the scoring on just three minutes as he fired just wide from 18-yards out.
Moustapha Hadji fired well wide, before James Milner was twice denied, first as Danny Jackman slid in, then as Stefan Postma blocked a low shot.
Hadji curled a right-foot effort just wide of the target on 21 mins as Leeds struggled to clear a Gareth Barry corner. Six minutes later Postma acrobatically denied Alan Smith as he punched a well-struck volley clear.
At the other end Paul Robinson denied Hadji on 36 mins as Villa ended the first-half strongly.
Juan Pablo Angel came closest to breaking the deadlock on 41mins, heading just over the bar from Hadji's cross. Three minutes later the Colombian headed onto the roof of the net after good approach play from Hadji, Kinsella and Dublin.
Villa made wholesale changes at half-time as David O'Leary opted to play a new eleven. And within six minutes the boys in Claret and Blue were in front.
Peter Crouch had already headed against the bar from a Ulises de la Cruz centre, when the Ecuadorian created another opening for Kachloul. He headed past Robinson to open the scoring.
Crouch, Gavin McCann and Allback all went close as Villa looked to double the lead, before Kachloul fired just over from 25-yards on 73 mins.
Three minutes later Villa were 2-0 up as Der Hammer Hitzlsperger produced a trademark 25-yard strike.
By that stage McCann had been replaced by Jackman and it must be said Villa were less effective without the summer capture from Sunderland.
Crouch almost killed the game off on 79 mins as he rattled the bar with a well-struck 20-yard volley.
Three minutes later Barmby gave Leeds a lifeline, converting an Aaron Lennon cross from the left to reduce the arrears.
Hitzlsperger and Harte were off-target at either end with free-kicks before Irishman Harte levelled matters in stoppage-time with a free-kick from the edge of the Villa box.
Villa held their nerve in the penalty shoot-out though to win 4-2. O'Leary's men will now face St Patricks in final (4pm ko)
Peter Reid was impressed with trialist Lamine Sakho and said: "That's the first time I have seen Lamine play a match in the flesh and he did well. I will talk to his people and see what we can do."
Jay Lloyd Samuel and Peter Enckelman were Villa heroes in the shoot-out, as Villa won 4-2 on penalties to set-up a final showdown with St Patricks later today. United play Shelbourne in the third place play-off.
Earlier Hassan Kachloul and Thomas Hitzlsperger had given Villa a 2-0 lead, only for Leeds to hit back through Barmby and Harte.
Leeds had the better of the opening spell as Villa, clearly affected by travel chaos in Dublin, struggled to find any early fluidity.
That said, Peter Whittingham might have opened the scoring on just three minutes as he fired just wide from 18-yards out.
Moustapha Hadji fired well wide, before James Milner was twice denied, first as Danny Jackman slid in, then as Stefan Postma blocked a low shot.
Hadji curled a right-foot effort just wide of the target on 21 mins as Leeds struggled to clear a Gareth Barry corner. Six minutes later Postma acrobatically denied Alan Smith as he punched a well-struck volley clear.
At the other end Paul Robinson denied Hadji on 36 mins as Villa ended the first-half strongly.
Juan Pablo Angel came closest to breaking the deadlock on 41mins, heading just over the bar from Hadji's cross. Three minutes later the Colombian headed onto the roof of the net after good approach play from Hadji, Kinsella and Dublin.
Villa made wholesale changes at half-time as David O'Leary opted to play a new eleven. And within six minutes the boys in Claret and Blue were in front.
Peter Crouch had already headed against the bar from a Ulises de la Cruz centre, when the Ecuadorian created another opening for Kachloul. He headed past Robinson to open the scoring.
Crouch, Gavin McCann and Allback all went close as Villa looked to double the lead, before Kachloul fired just over from 25-yards on 73 mins.
Three minutes later Villa were 2-0 up as Der Hammer Hitzlsperger produced a trademark 25-yard strike.
By that stage McCann had been replaced by Jackman and it must be said Villa were less effective without the summer capture from Sunderland.
Crouch almost killed the game off on 79 mins as he rattled the bar with a well-struck 20-yard volley.
Three minutes later Barmby gave Leeds a lifeline, converting an Aaron Lennon cross from the left to reduce the arrears.
Hitzlsperger and Harte were off-target at either end with free-kicks before Irishman Harte levelled matters in stoppage-time with a free-kick from the edge of the Villa box.
Villa held their nerve in the penalty shoot-out though to win 4-2. O'Leary's men will now face St Patricks in final (4pm ko)
Peter Reid was impressed with trialist Lamine Sakho and said: "That's the first time I have seen Lamine play a match in the flesh and he did well. I will talk to his people and see what we can do."