Hamburg 0 Fulham 0:FULHAM'S CAPER around the continent could yet be heading to the Europa League final here next month, after Hamburg were held to a draw that fizzed with tension.

The teams had kicked off in a crackling atmosphere, at last giving this long and winding cup the feeling of a major European competition.

Chris Baird was the first to blink, allowing Ruud van Nistelrooy to bear down on Mark Schwarzer before Aaron Hughes hustled the old gunslinger enough to allow his goalkeeper to collect.

So often Fulham’s ace card this season Bobby Zamora began clumsily and was, up until his substitution, largely disappointing. Having watched on as Piotr Trochowski cut in from the right to unload a shot that skimmed beyond Schwarzer’s left post on 19 minutes, Zamora then chested Simon Davies’s flighted pass into open space rather than on to an opponent.

The 29-year-old did produce one position-perfect lay-off that found Zoltan Gera, but the Hungarian’s deflected beyond the stranded Frank Rost and drifted widenet. That chance was about as good as it got for Fulham ahead of the break.

Zamora then appeared to pick up an injury, and while he emerged for the second half the gamble failed, as he was replaced by Clint Dempsey after 51 minutes.

Hodgson would have been pleased with the control exerted by his team from the restart, although Hamburg continued to threaten on the counter-attack. But Fulham were now the better team and twice Gera nearly forced a goal. One break down left amounted to nothing when the forward failed to pick out Dempsey, and then Gera stumbled when through on Rost’s goal and the danger fizzled out.

Hamburg had not, and Schwarzer’s excellence was required. Pitroipa had a shot beaten away, before Trochowski’s 25-yard zinger was tipped over by the Australian, and David Jarolim was frustrated moments later. At the close Fulham were hanging on, but the result could prove crucial.

• Guardian Service

HAMBURG:Rost, Demel (Rincon 82), Boateng, Mathijsen, Aogo, Pitroipa, Jarolim, Ze Roberto, Trochowski, Guerrero (Petric 72), van Nistelrooy. Subs not used: Hesl, Rozehnal, Tesche, Berg, Torun. Booked: Mathijsen, Trochowski.

FULHAM:Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Duff, Etuhu, Murphy, Davies, Zamora (Dempsey 52), Gera. Subs not used: Zuberbuhler, Kelly, Nevland, Smalling, Greening, Dikgacoi. Booked: Baird, Gera.

Referee:Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark).