Sports in brief - 2011-08-04

Lithuanian football club Ekranas – the Baltic’s last remaining hope of making it through to the main draw of the UEFA’s Champion League – had their hopes dashed on Aug. 2 when they lost 3-1 on their second leg third round qualifying match away to Belarusian club BATE on Tuesday. Following a goalless draw at home on July 26, Ekranas found themselves with their backs up against the wall early on in the return leg with BATE going up 1-0 through Vitali Rodionov in just the 18th minute. Just four minutes later, however, and Ekranas had struck back, claiming the first away goal of the tie to effectively give them a 2-1 lead should the game end in a draw. But what followed was a bizarre period of play when BATE player Renan Bressan managed to score a goal in the 35th minute before receiving a yellow card just a minute later and a second after a further three minutes of play to leave his team reduced to ten players. However, despite showing a lot more purpose with ball at foot than a week previous, Ekranas would not be able to take advantage of their extra man advantage, with BATE substitute Mikhail Gordeychuk adding his side’s third and match deciding goal in the 89th minute. Despite the loss, it has been a valiant campaign for the Lithuanian club with this season marking the first time that they have moved past the second round of qualifying.

BMX Olympic champion Maris Strombergs of Latvia has had to settle for second place in the elite men’s division at the recently completed UCI BMX World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. As always, Strombergs was amongst the favorites to take the crown but was held back to second by reigning European champion, Joris Daudet, of France. Marc Willers of New Zealand finished the race in third spot. Both Strombergs and Willers were strong out of the gate, going neck and neck into the first corner. On the second straight, Willers got into the lead but both he and Strombergs would be surprised by Daudet, who overtook both of them with a perfect turn into the second corner. Going into the final straight it was still Daudet in front, with Willers in second, but the Kiwi would be made to pay for over-jumping one of the final jumps, allowing Strombergs to swoop past him and snatch the silver medal. Signs are now looking good for Strombergs as thoughts begin to turn to the Olympics in London next year.

Lithuanian tennis player Richard Berankis’ search to find form following a significant injury layoff will have to wait another week after the 21-year-old was knocked out of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C. in the opening round, stretching his singles losing streak since his return to the court to three matches. Playing against unknown tournament qualifier Marinko Matasevic of Australia, Berankis was ousted in three sets, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-1. Neither player could be broken in a tight opening set, while in the second set Berankis would be able to hold on serve on the seven occasions that Matasevic asked the question of him. Matasevic was not enjoying the same luck at holding his serve, with Berankis breaking his opponent once to take the set. In the third and deciding set Berankis wilted, managing to get in just 33 percent of his first serves on the way to being broken twice and losing the match. It is currently unclear as to whether or not Berankis will attempt to qualify for next week’s ATP 1000 event in Montreal, Canada.