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Mark Schwarzer made several vital saves as resilient Fulham held Hamburg to a goalless draw in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final in Germany.

Ruud van Nistelrooy had an early half-chance before the superb Zoltan Gera saw a shot deflected narrowly wide.

Fulham lost Bobby Zamora to injury but his team-mates coped well and Gera lost his balance when through on goal.

Hamburg pushed hard but Schwarzer held firm to leave the tie evenly poised ahead of the second leg on 29 April.

Roy Hodgson's men will go into that match in high spirits following a resolute display that keeps them in contention for a place in the final at Hamburg's HSH Nordbank Arena on 12 May.

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They could hardly have hoped for a better night against 1983 European champions, especially following their 600-mile drive to the match enforced by the closure of British airspace earlier this week.

The Cottagers have never lost a European game at Craven Cottage but will have to caution against an away goal from a Hamburg side full of talent and desire to reach the final, which will be played at their home ground.

And Hodgson may have to do without in-form striker Zamora, who limped off on 52 minutes with an Achilles problem.

The 29-year-old England hopeful received treatment before kick-off and, despite starting the match, he moved a little gingerly in the early stages.

That did not help Fulham's gameplan because Zamora was the lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation and he struggled badly to hold on to the ball.

In fairness, he was starved of service as Hamburg dominated possession and encamped themselves in the visitors' half.

Former Manchester United striker Van Nistelrooy was foiled by Schwarzer after latching on to Dennis Aogo's pass and battling his way past a couple of Fulham defenders, while Piotr Trochowski twice shot wide from about 20 yards.

Hodgson's men were working extremely hard to contain the slick-passing hosts, but it was actually the Cottagers who came closest to taking the lead.

Paul Konchesky arrowed a pass upfield and Zamora laid it into the path of Gera, whose shot deflected off Jerome Boateng and squirmed just wide of Frank Rost's upright with the goalkeeper wrong-footed.

That was Fulham's only genuine chance of the opening 45 minutes but, for all their dominance, Hamburg rarely looked like breaking through themselves.

Zamora limped down the tunnel at half-time and, although he came out for the second period, his evening last only seven more minutes.

Hamburg enjoyed a lively start after the break but their increasing keenness to force the breakthrough left plenty of space for the visitors to exploit on the counter-attack.

Zamora's replacement Clint Dempsey, back after three games on the sidelines, looked particularly sharp and had a penalty appeal turned down before linking well with Gera to carve out two openings.

Joris Mathijsen had to be at full stretch to cut out a teasing cross from Gera, who then broke free in the box but lost his footing.

By now there was a gripping ebb and flow to proceedings and, as Hamburg again began to press, Fulham had Schwarzer to thank for three saves in quick succession.

The Australian stopper tipped over shots from Jonathan Potroipa and Trochowski before reacting well to save a stinging David Jarolim drive that came through a crowd of players.

The Cottagers, who will be without suspended right-back Chris Baird for the second leg, must be admired for the way they held firm to the end, Schwarzer thwarting an angled effort from substitute Mladen Petric on 88 minutes.

There was still time for Trochowski to pick up a booking that rules him out of the second leg - a further boost to Fulham on a good evening for the west London club.

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