Odion Ighalo came the closest to breaking the deadlock in the opening 45 minutes of Watford's Premier League game at Leicester City as he struck the post, but the tie remains goalless heading into the break.
Kasper Schmeichel was called into action in the 10th minute as Etienne Capoue fired a low drive at the goalkeeper from the edge of the box.
The Danish goalkeeper was left sprawling in the 20th minute as he was beaten by Ighalo's 20th-minute half-volley, but his strike came back off the post. Almen Abdi charged onto the rebound, but Schmeichel recovered to tip the midfielder's follow-up attempt over the bar.
Heurelho Gomes's first piece of action came after 27 minutes, but the goalkeeper easily gathered Marc Albrighton's weak attempt from the edge of the box.
The Brazilian goalkeeper was on hand again to deny Jamie Vardy from netting for the ninth straight Premier League game with a low save five minutes before the interval.
