It's all to play for in Paisley next week as St Mirren's European return ended goalless in Iceland.
Stephen Robinson's side created a number of chances during an open 90 minutes, but couldn't find the breakthrough goal in Reykjavík.
The manager gave competitive debuts to summer signings Ellery Balcombe and Oisin Smyth as he went with the same starting eleven from last week's pre-season fixture against Carlisle United.
The open nature of the game was evident from the off with the hosts starting fast. They could have taken the lead inside the first minute when an Elvis Bwomono headed clearance was swung into the back stick by Tryggvi Hrafn Haraldsson. Jonatan Ingi Jonsson managed to stay onside as the Saints backline moved forward, but goalkeeper Balcombe was out quickly to block with his face.
Saints had a big opportunity just minutes later on the counter. It was two-v-one as Mikael Mandron and Toyosi Olusanya broke clear. Mandron fed the ball to Olusanya, but his effort was blocked by a Valur defender. The Saints forward was causing the hosts problems early doors and forced a top class save from Frederik Schram in the Valur net.
It was Balcombe's turn next to keep the ball out of the net with the loanee down well to push away a low effort from Haraldsson after loose possession from Richard Taylor.
Saints were dealt an early blow when Caolan Boyd-Munce had to be replaced on 15 minutes. The midfielder has gone down earlier in the match but managed to continue on for a bit before having to be replaced by Dennis Adeniran for his St Mirren debut.
The Buddies were pressing for an opener and had two decent chances within the space of two minutes to break the deadlock. Olusanya came close to turning a low Jaden Brown ball into the net on 34 minutes but stuck it wide. It was then Brown's turn to almost put us in front when he had a header saved after Mandron had forced on a Marcus Fraser cross.
Loose possession from Saints gifted the home side a big opportunity as we headed into the final five minutes of the half. Sigurdur Egill Larusson let fly from 20 yards on the angle but his strike cannoned off the side net.
It was an open first 45 and it was the Buddies who would have the final real chance of the half when captain Mark O'Hara's brilliant pass picked out Smyth. The debutant shuffled to create the space to get his shot away on the edge of the area but sent it over the bar.
The hosts could have found themselves in front a little over five minutes after the restart when their record goalscorer Patrick Pedersen got in behind the Saints defence only to see his effort blocked by Balcombe.
After a decent opening 45, Saints hadn't really got going in the second-half and that forced manager Stephen Robinson to make a change. He introduced Roland Idowu in place of Smyth. And it was a substitution that almost paid dividends a minute later. Idowu found himself in space at the far post and cut the ball back searching for Olusanya. It didn't find the forward did fall to the feet of his strike partner Mandron at the far post. He didn't get the connection he'd have wanted on the first effort before his follow-up was blocked.
Balcombe was called into action again just after the hour mark and it was perhaps his best save of the game when he was at full-stretch and got two strong hands to turn behind a header from Haraldsson.
Stephen Robinson made a double substitution when he brought James Scott and Jonah Ayunga on in place of Olusanya and Mandron. It came just seconds after the latter had seen his turn and shot goes agonisingly just by the far post.
With 15 minutes remaining, Valur goalkeeper Schram made a good save to turn away a strike from Idowu before Scott fired a cross over the bar. The game continued to ebb and flow and Balcombe was called into action once again when he brilliantly tipped a Gylfi Sigurdsson strike over.
The home side were reduced to 10 men with 10 minutes remaining when substitute Aron Jóhannsson was shown a straight for hauling down Ayunga as he looked to race clear on goal. Idowu sent the resulting free-kick into the arms of Schram. That was to be the last of the action with Saints ready to return to a sold out SMiSA Stadium with everything to play for.
Full-Time: Valur 0-0 St Mirren
St Mirren: Balcombe, Fraser, Gogic, Taylor, Bwomono, Smyth (Idowu 57), O'Hara (c), Boyd-Munce (Adeniran 15), Brown, Olusanya (Scott 67), Mandron (Ayunga 67)
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, Kelly, Kenny, Sutherland, Tanser, F.Taylor, Mooney, Jamieson
Valur: Schram, Gunnarsson (Saevarsson 62), Pálsson, Helgason, Larusson, G. Sigurdsson, Antonsson, K Sigurdsson (c) (Jóhannsson 73), Haraldsson (Heimisson 73), Pedersen (Unnarsson 84), Jonsson
Subs Not Used: Ágústsson, Kristinsson, Tryggvason, Eyjólfsson, Ómarsson, Stephensen, Finsen
Referee: Damian Kos
Assistant Referee: Bartosz Heinig
Assistant Referee: Marek Arys
Fourth Official: Lukasz Kuzma
Manager Reaction - "We wanted to be in the tie and we certainly are."
The manager gave his thoughts following our First Leg draw with Valur in the UEFA Conference League Second Qualifying Round.
