By Nick Sessions

A place in the next round was never in doubt but Spurs wasted chances

Robbie Keane provided a second-half equaliser to spare Tottenham's blushes in the second leg of their first-round Uefa Cup tie with Anorthosis Famagusta.

Spurs boss Martin Jol handed Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent starts but chances went begging before Fabinho fired the hosts ahead on 54 minutes.

Jol brought on Gareth Bale and Keane in the second half, clearly keen not to leave Cyprus nursing a defeat.

And Keane made no mistake from Bale's cross to seal the draw on 78 minutes.

Interview: Tottenham boss Martin Jol

The visitors had the luxury of a 6-1 lead from the home leg but Keane's strike prevented an embarrassing defeat for the under-pressure Jol and his side.

606: DEBATE Jol is a nice guy but it's time to get those players jumping in the dressing room ES

Spurs created a wealth of chances in the first half but struggled to convert, with Defoe in particular guilty of squandering a bagful of opportunities.

Debutant Kevin-Prince Boateng quickly made his presence felt within five minutes, whipping in a neat cross that was put behind for a corner as Spurs started brightly.

But Darren Bent provided the visiting side's first clear chance, driving down the left channel and squaring neatly for Defoe, who blasted over the bar.

Defoe had another chance to open the scoring after jinking into space on the edge of the area after 20 minutes.

But again the striker, who netted twice in the home leg, couldn't force a save from Famagusta keeper Zoltan Nagy.

Spurs' dominance began to show towards the end of the first half, but the visitors still failed to find the critical finish.

Defoe had two more golden chances to open the scoring in the first half.

First, he chested down Steed Malbranque's crafty chipped pass and turned neatly - but then fired his shot straight into the outstretched arms of the advancing Nagy.

Then Defoe failed to justify more good work from Malbranque on the stroke of half-time, with a shot that curled just wide of the post.

Spurs were left to rue their wastefulness when Fabinho fired the home side into the lead after the restart.

Nikos Frousos appeared to control William Cleite Boaventura's cross with his hand before teeing up Fabinho for a driving shot past the flailing Paul Robinson.

The home side took heart from snatching the opener and it wasn't until Jol brought on Keane and Bale that Spurs were able to get back on terms.

Bale supplied a neat cross into the path of the Republic of Ireland striker, who finally found the Famagusta goal with a well-placed shot into the top corner.

"I still consider this game as a clean sheet, if you see the goal. They had two keepers on the pitch.

"I have to think positively and for me it's great that Tottenham are in Europe again. We had a couple of thousand supporters here and it is always good to see them happy.

"Jermain Defoe had five or six chances on his own, Darren Bent had two big chances. If you don't finish them off you have to settle for a draw."

Anorthosis Famagusta: Nagy, Tripotseris, Constantinou, Nicolaou, Laban (Deyanov 83), Zlogar (Skopelitis 46), Ndikumana, Panagi, Frousos, Fabinho (Pahars 62), Boaventura.
Subs Not Used: Beqaj, Katsavakis, Sosin, Belic.

Goals: Fabinho 54.

Tottenham: Robinson, Stalteri, Lee (Keane 75), Dawson, Gardner, Huddlestone, Boateng (Bale 69), Zokora, Malbranque, Bent (Taarabt 85), Defoe.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Kaboul, Dawkins, Mills.

Booked: Robinson.

Goals: Keane 78.

Att: 8,000

Ref: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic).