Kiryat Shmona lands in Minsk ahead of Champions League soccer match
Kiryat Shmona's soccer team landed last night in Minsk ahead of its Champions League playoff match against BATE Borisov. "We are less experienced and we will need to prepare well, but my grandmother said that even if you aren't sure you'll reach the moon you can dream about it," coach Gil Landau said before the team left Israel. Borisov is heavily favored. While the host from Belarus is No. 68 in the UEFA rankings, Kiryat Shmona is 243rd. (Moshe Boker)
Peer's tennis woes continue at Yale
Shahar Peer's losing streak continued on Monday when Russian Maria Kirilenko whipped her 6-2, 6-2 in the opening round of the New Haven Open at Yale. Peer has not won since Maria Sharapova defeated her in the Olympics. On Monday she committed four double-faults and only had 42-percent success with her first serve, while Kirilenko served three aces and was never seriously threatened. Peer also slid five slots in the world rankings on Monday from 57th to 62nd. (Steve Klein)
Roger Clemens returning to baseball
Rogers Clemens has signed with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League and is expected to start for them on Saturday at home against Bridgeport. The 50-year-old right-hander was acquitted in June of charges that he lied to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs. Clemens hasn't played for a team since pitching for the Yankees in 2007. He is to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot going to voters late this year, but if he appeared in a major league game his Hall consideration would be pushed back five years. Clemens' agent, Randy Hendricks, says the pitcher's "fastball was clocked at 87 mph." The signing was first reported by Houston television station KRIV. (AP)
