LAZIO 0- 0 TOTTENHAM

Tottenham 0-0 Lazio: Villas-Boas still searching for first home win as Spurs are stalled again

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The American, making his full debut, connected with a Gareth Bale cross but was adjudged offside, before Caulker rose at the back-post in the second period, only to see his header ruled out for a foul on Stefano Mauri.

Andre Villas-Boas gave full debuts to Hugo Lloris and Dempsey as well as handing Caulker his first start of the season while Aaron Lennon captained a strong Spurs team.

Tottenham began the game brightly, confident in possession in front of a Lazio team happy to feel its way into the fixture and although the hosts tentatively prodded at the Italians, it was Vladimir Petkovic's team that created the first opportunity of the match.

Kyle Walker's lax header relinquished possession in his own half, allowing Christian Ledesma to play his left back Senad Lulic in behind. The Bosnian's first-time cross to an unmarked Miroslav Klose looked an inevitable goal but the 34-year-old fluffed his lines, missing the ball under pressure from Lloris.

This sparked the north London side into action and Lennon latched onto a neat pass from Jermain Defoe but saw his pass to Bale intercepted, before a second cross had the Welshman force Federico Marchetti to tip over the bar.

Just after the 20th minute, Dempsey was denied a maiden goal by the linesman's flag as he nodded an excellent cross from Bale into the back of the net. Though it looked close, on reflection, the Texan was ever so slightly offside.

The game was finely poised and although it lacked creativity at times, Lazio was never the whipping boy. Three minutes before halftime Jan Vertonghen's defensive clearance was walloped back at goal on the volley by Alvaro Gonzalez, and despite beating Lloris, the crossbar prevented the Uruguayan opening the scoring.

The referee rather oddly blew the halftime whistle 30 seconds before the full 45 minutes had been played, but in a half that occasionally lapsed into procession, it had a bizarre logic.

There were no changes for either side at the break and in what was a noticeably quicker resumption to play, Tottenham carved the first clear-cut chance.

Defoe, who had linked play well with the midfield behind him, drifted into the right channel and as he took Andre Dias, the center back, with him, cut inside and rolled Lennon in on goal. The winger took an unnecessary first touch, where a shot looked the better option, but his blocked shot and the ensuing bundle almost landed in the Lazio goal under pressure from Dempsey.

However, the Biancocelesti survived but again had to thank the linesman minutes later for flagging for offside as Bale rolled the ball into Defoe for a tap-in.