Visa problems leave Priso grounded

Valletta arrived in Dublin yesterday afternoon ahead of their Europa League second qualifying round, first leg against St Patrick's Athletic tomorrow but Doding Priso was not in the travelling party.

The Cameroonian turned up at the Malta International Airport in the early hours of yesterday only to discover that he couldn't fly to the UK because he didn't have the required visa.

Valletta president Victor Sciriha and other club officials tried hard to sort out the problem with airport officials but with the flight to Heathrow departing at 7.15 a.m., their hands were tied as the relevant embassies were still closed.

Efforts to get Priso a visa in the shortest time possible resumed when the City contingent landed in London.

Valletta are hopeful that Priso will receive the all-clear to travel to Ireland by tomorrow afternoon as the match against St Patrick's kicks off at 8.45 p.m.

Coach Ton Caanen is keeping his fingers crossed that Priso will be available to play. The winger has been one of Valletta's better performers so far, scoring in the home and away legs of the 5-2 aggregate win over Keflavik in the previous round.

Caanen has not made any changes from the squad that journeyed to Iceland last week. Yesterday evening the Dutchman led the side's first training session on a football pitch near the team's hotel.

Strikers shortage

St Patrick's have a shortage of firepower going into tomorrow's match at Richmond Park. Coach Jeff Kenna was reported as saying this week that injuries are threatening to leave him without a single senior striker.

St Pats, who lost 2-1 at home to Galway United in the league on Friday, begin their European campaign this week but Kenna admitted that confidence is low at the moment due to a poor run of form which has seen the Saints lose 11 of their 20 league games this season.

"Wins breed confidence and our dressing room is very low after that," Kenna said after the upset to Galway.

"We were 1-0 up at half-time and we had enough chances to win, but at the moment we are just not clinical enough in front of goal.

"Jamie Harris and Ryan Guy are playing up front for us, but Jamie is a centre-half and Ryan is naturally a winger.

"The only recognised, fit centre-forward is Andy Haran and he's a young lad who is still learning the game, so it's difficult.

"But the players have to pick themselves up because we have a big game coming up.

"I saw Valletta draw 2-2 in Iceland and they are a good team, they pass the ball around and have a lot of pace on either flank.

"They have a big centre-forward who links up the play well and Jordi Cruyff in midfield pulling the strings, so it's going to be a tough game."