Lazio v Tottenham

Lazio 0

FT 90 +4
HT 0-0

By Jimmy Smallwood BBC Sport

Tottenham require a draw at home from their final Europa League group game after playing out a frustrating stalemate against Lazio in Rome.

Gareth Bale had the ball in the hosts' net within five minutes but it was incorrectly ruled out for offside.

Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made a string of impressive saves.

The France international thwarted striker Libor Kozak four times, including a fingertip save to deflect a dipping shot onto the crossbar.

Prior to kick-off Paul Gascoigne, a mercurial midfield talent for both of these clubs in his colourful career, was paraded before supporters at the Stadio Olimpico.

Lloris saves the day for Spurs

August deadline day signing Hugo Lloris has been in goal for all of Tottenham's Europa League group fixtures, and his saves against Libor Kozak and Michael Ciani guaranteed his side a clean sheet in Rome.

The 45-year-old had not been present at the earlier fixture in September when the two sides also played out a goalless draw.

That earlier stalemate was the first of four in Spurs's five group games this season.

And Panathinaikos's 1-0 win in Athens over MK Maribor on Thursday means a single point for the Londoners against the Greek team on 6 December at White Hart Lane will ensure qualification to the last 32.

Before Thursday's match Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas promised his team would play for the win in Rome, and he selected a competitive starting XI mixing youth and experience.

The midfield of Tottenham included 20-year-old Tom Carroll, and it was his perfectly-weighted ball that released Bale in the fifth minute.

The Welsh international escaped defender Luis Cavanda's attentions, rounded keeper Federico Marchetti and slotted the ball home from an angle.

However, Spanish referee Fernando Teixeira disallowed the goal for an offside - a decision that appeared harsh at the time and worse on replay.

That was Tottenham's brightest moment of the first half, as their central midfield trio of Carroll, Sandro and Clint Dempsey struggled to assert themselves.

It was Spurs keeper Lloris, who retained his place despite conceding five in the league against Arsenal on Saturday, who proved the visitors' saviour.

First, the August deadline day signing tipped a dipping Libor Kozak strike on to the bar, then he successfully blocked a scuffed effort from the Czech frontman wide. Lazio were clearly missing their feared German frontman, Miroslav Klose.

Lloris's best moment of the half came five minutes before the interval, sprinting off his line to smother a Lazio through ball on the very edge of his area.

Goal shy Group J

Before this latest round of fixtures, Group J had seen the fewest shots on goal in the Europa League with just 63.

Tottenham fashioned half-chances of their own, but with no end product.

Bale, who switched to the right wing at points throughout the game, cut inside on 22 minutes and unleashed a fierce cross-shot which Marchetti did well to palm over.

A cross in the second half from Emmanuel Adebayor was headed straight on to the right boot of Clint Dempsey three yards out, before the hosts' captain Stefano Mauri intercepted to cut off the danger.

Tottenham seemed to be exerting some control of the tie, but on 60 minutes Sandro lost the ball in a dangerous area and Kozac found himself through after dispossessing Steven Caulker.

However, composure again deserted the Czech, who dragged his shot badly wide.

With a win needed to assure qualification from Group J on the night, Villas-Boas introduced his artillery just after the hour, bringing on Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon.

But if anything, the change in Tottenham personnel spurred on Lazio, and they could have won it at the death.

An effort on Lloris's goal cannoned off the back of Sandro's head and behind. From the resulting corner centre-back Michael Ciani rose unmarked and headed down and hard.

It was only instinctive reactions from Loris which blocked the effort, the ball bouncing back into danger but ultimately hooked clear, keeping the fixture goalless and Tottenham still in the hunt for the knockout stages.

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (6)

Lazio

22 Marchetti
02 Ciani
20 Biava
26 Radu
39 Cavanda
06 Mauri
08 Hernanes (Ederson - 69' )
15 Gonzalez Luengo
19 Lulic (Candreva - 78' )
24 Ledesma
18 Kozak (Floccari - 78' Booked )

Substitutes

01 Bizzarri
05 Scaloni
07 Ederson
23 Onazi
87 Candreva
25 Rozzi
99 Floccari

Tottenham Hotspur

25 Lloris
05 Vertonghen Booked
16 Naughton
28 Walker
33 Caulker
02 Dempsey (Defoe - 63' )
11 Bale
22 Sigurdsson (Lennon - 63' )
30 Sandro
46 Carroll (Dembele - 76' )
10 Adebayor

Substitutes

23 Cudicini
20 Dawson
06 Huddlestone
07 Lennon
29 Livermore
18 Defoe
19 Dembele

Ref: Fernando Teixeira Vitienes

Att: 20,000

Match Stats

Possession 45 55

Shots

11 0

On target

3 0

Corners

5 9

Fouls

5 10

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +3:04 Full time

Full Time The referee ends the match.

90:00 +1:16

Effort from inside the area by Sergio Floccari misses to the right of the goal.

90:00 +1:00

Mousa Dembele challenges Honorato Ederson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Michael Ciani takes the direct free kick.

89:36

Corner taken by Gareth Bale.

84:49

Hugo Lloris takes the free kick.

84:49 Booking

Booking Sergio Floccari receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.

84:47

Sergio Floccari is penalised for a handball.

84:01

Corner taken right-footed by Antonio Candreva from the left by-line, Michael Ciani takes a shot. Hugo Lloris makes a fantastic save.

77:49 Substitution

Substitution Libor Kozak goes off and Sergio Floccari comes on.

77:49 Substitution

Substitution Antonio Candreva joins the action as a substitute, replacing Senad Lulic.

80:30

Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Antonio Candreva.

79:01

Inswinging corner taken by Antonio Candreva from the left by-line, free kick awarded for a foul by Stefano Mauri on Hugo Lloris. Direct free kick taken by Hugo Lloris.

77:49 Substitution

Substitution Sergio Floccari comes on in place of Libor Kozak.

77:49 Substitution

Substitution Antonio Candreva replaces Senad Lulic.

75:45 Substitution

Substitution Mousa Dembele is brought on as a substitute for Tom Carroll.

74:50

Free kick taken by Cristian Ledesma.

74:50 Booking

Booking Jan Vertonghen booked.

74:39

Foul by Jan Vertonghen on Honorato Ederson, free kick awarded.

74:08

Senad Lulic is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Hugo Lloris takes the free kick.

69:17

Steven Caulker gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Honorato Ederson. Cristian Ledesma produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick.

68:21 Substitution

Substitution Honorato Ederson on for Anderson Hernanes.

65:22

Stefano Mauri is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Hugo Lloris.

65:03

Libor Kozak takes a shot. Save by Hugo Lloris.

63:37

Senad Lulic is caught offside. Hugo Lloris takes the free kick.

62:48 Substitution

Substitution Aaron Lennon joins the action as a substitute, replacing Gylfi Sigurdsson.

62:48 Substitution

Substitution Jermain Defoe comes on in place of Clint Dempsey.