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Europa League | Group Stage
Nov 22, 2012 at 6pm UK
 
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Live Commentary: Lazio 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur - as it happened

Sports Mole brings you live commentary of Tottenham's Europa League trip to Lazio in Rome, where Spurs can move top of Group J with a win.
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A win for either Tottenham Hotspur or hosting Lazio tonight would have guaranteed their progression to the Europa League knockout stages.

As it was, the sides shared the spoils in a goalless draw which was still enough to see the Italian's qualify.

To join them in the latter stages, Spurs require a further point from their final Group J match with Panathinaikos, who were 1-0 winners over NK Maribor this evening.

Below, you can read how a man-of-the-match performance from Hugo Lloris helped Andre Villas-Boas snatch a draw from the Stadio Olimpico.


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As mentioned above, Spurs fans were the victims of an attack from Italian 'Ultras' in Rome last night. Let us hope that none of that bad blood is carried over into the Stadio Olimpico stands tonight.

So, let us move onto the football. Team news coming up...

SPURS: Lloris; Walker, Caulker, Vertonghen, Naughton; Sandro, Carroll; Sigurdsson, Bale, Dempsey; Adebayor

SUBS: Cudicini, Dawson, Livermore, Huddlestone, Dembele, Lennon, Defoe

Tom Carroll's inclusion is probably the headline news for Spurs. The 20-year-old has featured in Europe before, but this is probably the biggest stage on which he has made a Spurs start.

Emmanuel Adebayor, who is serving a three-match domestic suspension, is given the nod over Jermain Defoe in attack. Captain for the evening Gareth Bale, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Clint Dempsey will provide support to the lone striker.

Spurs fans haven't had a lot to shout about in recent weeks, but Moussa Dembele's return to fitness will be a big boost. The Belgian is among Villas-Boas's substitutes this evening.

And onto the hosts, who do not include prolific German striker Miroslav Klose in their squad...

LAZIO: Marchetti; Cavanda, Biava, Ciani, Radu; Mauri, Gonzalez, Ledesma, Hernanes, Lulic; Kozak

SUBS: Bizzarri, Scaloni, Ederson, Onazi, Rozzi, Candreva, Floccari

In the absence of Klose, experienced skipper Stefano Mauri and his fellow midfielder Hernanes are probably the names to watch out for from the Italian outfit, who currently sit fifth in Serie A.

So, the scarf-wearing eagle has flown in, the players have walked out. Kickoff is imminent.

And we are underway in Rome...

Former Spurs and Lazio favourite Paul Gascoigne is in the stands watching two of his old clubs. Nice to see the famous Geordie looking in such good health.

Naughton gives the ball away sloppily and Hernanes attempts a through ball to Libor Kozak, but Caulker has the pace to get back and cut the danger out before it ever really materialises.

BALL IN THE NET! Tom Carroll's perfectly-weighted through pass finds Gareth Bale, who had got in behind Luis Cavanda. The Welshman rounds Federico Marchetti and rolls the ball into the net, but the assistant flags for offside.

Frustration for Spurs as Bale appeared to be half-a-yard onside from Carroll's pass. A case of Deja Vu for the visitors, who also had two legitimate efforts chalked off in the reverse fixture.

Slight concern for Spurs as Walker limps away from a challenge after Sandro left a return pass to the Englishman short. He seems to be okay though.

Spurs are again denied by the offside flag, with Adebayor adjudged to have gone beyond the last man before receiving Sigurdsson's pass.

SHOT! Bale creates space for himself on the left and fizzes in a cross which Sigurdsson, who had made a lovely near-post run, flicks, via a deflection, behind for a corner.

SHOT! Stefan Radu sells Sigurdsson a dummy on the left side before cutting it back for Senad Lulic. His first touch is poor though and the Bosnian ends up blazing his half-volley miles over the crossbar.

OFF THE BAR! Double scare for Spurs. Naughton firstly does well to block a Kozak shot from the edge of the box before Lloris tips a swerving Cristian Ledesma drive onto the crossbar.

That was good work from the French stopper. He was initially caught out by Ledesma's strike but then twice reacted very well - firstly to get a hand on the shot and secondly to foil Kozak from the rebound.

SAVE! Bale has switched flanks with Dempsey and is now operating on the right. Adebayor plays him the ball before running into the box for a return. The winger's attempt cross is over-hit and would have sneaked in under the crossbar had Marchetti not stretched out a hand to parry it over.

Kozak tries a shot from range, but Lloris is untroubled as he watches it fly onto the athletics track which surrounds the field.

Free kick to Spurs as Radu drags Sigurdsson down on the right flank.

Bale chooses to knock it short and after the ball goes via Sandro, Adebayor and Carroll, Spurs have another set-piece chance from this corner...

SAVE! Fantastic chance, but not for Spurs as Lazio launch a counter from the visitors' corner. Cavanda gets away from Carroll down the right and largely goes unchallenged before playing in Kozak. The retreating Walker is wrong-footed, leaving the Czech forward one-on-one with Lloris, who gets an important foot to divert the scuffed effort behind. Excellent save.

Sigurdsson drifts a ball into the box but Giuseppe Biava stretches out a foot to deny Clint Dempsey at the back post.

CHANCE! Another excellent chance for Kozak, but he cannot direct his near-post header on target.

Kyle Walker is forced to leave the field with blood pouring from his nose. I must have missed how that injury came about but it doesn't look pretty.

Gylfi Sigurdsson is filling in temporarily at right back, and gets in an important header to clear a Lazio corner.

It seems Walker's reintroduction to the match is being delayed due to him wearing a different number on his new shirt to the one on his shorts. Really? Bureaucracy gone mad.

SAVE! Excellent work from Lloris as he charges out to deny Kozak again after Vertonghen had stepped up and attempted to play offside.

Walker is finally back on, all patched up and most importantly for the UEFA officials, wearing the correct attire.

HALF-TIME: Lazio 0-0 Spurs

HALF-TIME: Tottenham's previous ventures in Europe this season have been fairly forgetful, but this is actually a pretty good watch. Lazio have been the better side, certainly in terms of creating chances, but as yet, have failed to find a way past Hugo Lloris - who is arguably enjoying his finest game in a Spurs shirt. Having said that, the visitors did have a goal incorrectly ruled out when Bale rounded Marchetti from Carroll's superb pass, so both sides may feel aggrieved not to enter the break ahead.

Here you can read Sports Mole's half-time report on the contest, courtesy of my colleague, Barney Corkhill.

The players have reemerged for the second-half action.

And we are back underway in Rome...

More full-back problems for Spurs as Kyle Naughton goes down clutching his ankle after being caught inadvertently by Mauri. Spurs again temporarily a man down as Naughton receives treatment on the sidelines...

Carroll finds another incisive pass to play Adebayor in down the right. The Togolese forward puts the ball into an area at the front post but Biava is again on hand to deny Dempsey, who was ready in wait six yards out.

Caulker intercepts a poor pass from Alvaro Gonzalez and travels with the ball from defence. It eventually reaches Adebayor on the right and his cross is aimed for Caulker, who had continued his run into the box. However, the newly-capped England international could not generate any power on his header and Marchetti claims comfortably.

Spurs have moved the ball a bit quicker in the early stages of this second period and are looking more penetrative. Adebayor is spending most of his time hogging the right touchline though. I'm sure AVB would like to see him in the box a bit more.

Just to update you on Kyle Naughton - he is back on the field and seems to have run off his ankle issue. Must have been an impact blow.

Corner from Bale, but it is unusually wayward and evades everyone on its way behind for a goal kick.

CHANCE! Oh, that is a bad miss. Sandro is robbed inside his own half and when Caulker's slide tackle only succeeds in diverting the ball straight to Kozak, the Lazio man is clean through. Lloris commits himself, anticipating a pass to the open Lulic across the six-yard box, leaving the near-post vacant. Kozak tries to roll it in but scuffs his finish wide and Spurs escape. Both Sandro and Lloris will be thankful of the Czech's continued wastefulness tonight.

DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION: Villas-Boas turns to his well-stocked bench, bringing Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon on for Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson.

SAVE! Good play from Kozak, who spins away from Caulker and manages to poke a shot goalwards, but Lloris gets down well and grasps on tightly to the ball with Kozak anticipating the rebound.

It is all Lazio at the moment, hence Villas-Boas's double change. I'm disappointed to see Sigurdsson go off though. I thought he had been quite lively.

SUBSTITUTION: Brazilian for Brazilian as Lazio switch Hernanes for Ederson in the centre of the park.

Ederson is involved immediately, earning a free kick with a smart turn away from Caulker. Centre of the goal, 25-yards out and Ledesma is over it.

SHOT! It was the Italian who struck it, but his elegant, curling effort had too much bend and finished a foot wide of Lloris's post.

Yellow card! More bright play from Ederson, who runs away from Carroll and then draws a foul from Vertonghen which sees the Belgian become the first player cautioned this evening.

SUBSTITUTION: A welcoming sight for Spurs fans - the return of Moussa Dembele after an eight-match absence. He replaces Tom Carroll in midfield, but Villas Boas would have been impressed with the youngster, who had another decent game.

DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION: Two changes for Lazio in attack as Sergio Floccari and Antonio Candreva come on for Lulic and Kozak.

Candreva cuts in from the right and tries to get a shot away, but Caulker blocks it behind for a corner.

SUPERB SAVE! This is the best of the lot from Hugo Lloris as Ciani meets a corner with a thumping low header. The Frenchman does brilliantly to get down and then readjust his feet in order to keep the ball out. That could be a match-saving stop.

Spurs are on the hunt for a late goal as Adebayor releases Defoe down the right, but Radu gets across to put the ball out of touch.

Kyle Walker's superb pace and stamina have been evident in the last couple of minutes. The fresher Candreva has twice got in behind him down the left but on both occasions, the Tottenham full-back has sprinted back to pinch the ball away from the Italian.

Bale's clever feet and persistence by the byline earn Spurs a corner...

But the Welshman's delivery is headed clear. There will be THREE minutes of stoppage time.

SHOT! Floccari shifts and shoots from the right edge of the area, and the net ripples! But it was only the side netting after the ball came back of the stanchions behind the goal.

FULL-TIME: Lazio 0-0 Spurs

A combination of wasteful Lazio finishing and a man-of-the-match performance from Hugo Lloris has seen this one finish goalless. The draw is enough for Lazio to progress, but Spurs require another point from their final Group J fixture against Panathinaikos to secure qualification.

That is it from me for this evening, but be sure to stay with Sports Mole for live commentary of Liverpool's clash with Young Boys. Alternatively, you can follow our coverage of Newcastle vs. Maritimo here. Thanks for joining us this evening. Over and out...

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