League One Play-off Semi-Final Leg 2
Leeds United 1 Millwall 1 (Millwall win 2-1 on aggregate)
The Frenchman Adbou turned home substitute Lewis Grabban's cross in the 73rd minute to silence most in the biggest crowd outside the top flight this season.
Despite a lively first half that saw the Yorkshire side have the better chances the teams went in goaless allowing the match to be decided in the second period.
First, in the 48th minute, referee Mark Halsey saw Andy Frampton pull back Leeds defender Sam Sodje, brother of ex-Blue Efe, in the box, and 34-goal Jermaine Beckford had the chance to score from the spot. Unfortunately for the home support his weak effort was blocked by Lions keeper David Forde, who also smothered Delph's follow-up effort, and the tension in the ground rose accordingly.
There was a delay for Beckford's penalty because a coin had been
Then, within three minutes, that miss was forgotten as Parker's cross from the left found Lucian Becchio in the middle and he slid in between two defenders to poke home sending most of the 37,036 attendance into delirium and a nerve-jangling second leg seemed to be heading towards extra-time.
However, a deadly silence was to fall over the packed ground, except for the 1,000-odd away supporters concentrated in one corner of the ground, when Dave Martin's cross from the left found substitute Grabban and he knocked the ball back into the path of Abdou who gleefully converted Millwall's only real chance of the match allowing the Londoners to edge through to their first play-off final at the fourth attempt despite six minutes of stoppage time!
Obviously there were some unhappy campers and they made their feelings known outside Elland Road as thousands gathered opposite the Billy Bremner statue after the game, where missiles including stones and pieces of gravel were thrown at police officers.
More than two dozen police horses also charged up Wesley Street in a bid to disperse the crowds. They then charged back down Elland Road to force fans away from the stadium as Millwall fans boarded the buses.
Eight supporters were arrested inside and outsid ethe ground before the kick off after several incidents of public disorder. A spokesman for the West Yorkshire police confirmed it was not yet clear whether those arrested were either Leeds or Millwall fans.
Lion boss Kenny Jackett said after the game: "To overcome Leeds, who are a very good team, over two legs is a very good achievement. It was one of the best atmospheres here tonight that I've been involved in and when their goal went in there was some momentum there and we came back from that very well. I've got to say the Leeds crowd were magnificent tonight. The atmosphere they built and then their singing at the end. Walking back myself, they were first class, congratulating us and although it's no consolation they were a credit to their club."
As for how he's turned around a bottom four side in a couple of seasons: "There's no secret to our spirit. People look for secrets in football and there aren't any. There's honesty, hard work, commitment and at times quality. The start of the second half was really built up and I've got to say they had us under a lot of pressure. We've no preference who we play (in the final). We have to worry about ourselves, focus on it and make sure we're in the right mentality to go and do the job."
Leeds United manager Simon Grayson said he was proud of his players but felt his side deserved to go up after losing only two of their last 17 league matches.
He said: "It's a bitter pill to swallow. The players were outstanding tonight, we gave it a right go. We limited Millwall to very few chances and had the momentum, but probably just lacked a bit of quality in the final third to really test the goalkeeper. We're hugely disappointed. It was a great atmosphere and the fans deserve to go up, but the players can be proud of what they've achieved."
Leeds: Ankergren, Douglas, Sodje, Naylor, Parker (Johnson 77), Delph, Snodgrass, Howson (Grella 90), Kilkenny (Robinson 35), Beckford, Becchio.
Subs Not Used: Lucas, Marques.
Booked: Delph, Robinson, Ankergren, Beckford.
Goals: Becchio 53.
Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Whitbread, Craig, Frampton, Henry (Robinson 86), Abdou, Bolder, Martin, Alexander, Harris (Grabban 64).
Subs Not Used: Pidgeley, Barron, Laird.
League One Play-Off Final (at Wembley):
Saturday 24 May 2009, 13.00.
Millwall v MK Dons or Scunthorpe.