U.S.’s Pefok scores in Bundesliga debut

United States forward

Jordan Pefok scored on his Bundesliga debut to help Union Berlin defeat Hertha Berlin 3-1 in their first league game of the season on Saturday.

Pefok, who also scored on his debut in the German Cup on Monday, opened the scoring in the 31st to set Union on its way to a third consecutive league win over its rival - a fourth including their cup meeting last season - to keep the unofficial title of ”Stadtmeister” (city champion).

Pefok joined from Swiss team Young Boys in the offseason and has already become a fan favorite. He received a standing ovation along with teammate

Genki Haraguchi when they were taken off late in the game.

Sheraldo Becker

Robin Knoche also scored to ensure Hertha’s difficult start to the season continued after its German Cup exit to seconddivision Eintracht Braunschweig last weekend.

Elsewhere: Krepin Diatta and Sofiane Diop scored for a weakened Monaco to prevail at Strasbourg 2-1 in the French league. In a clash between contenders for European spots, Diatta opened the scoring with a powerful volley from the edge of the box in the 43rd minute. The Senegal winger could have added another goal in the 48th but Strasbourg goalkeeper Matz Sels saved his chip . ... While Liverpool made a stuttering start to the English Premier League, Tottenham showed it might be ready to take

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and another step forward under Antonio Conte. Liverpool had to come from behind twice to salvage a 2-2 draw at promoted Fulham, largely thanks to new signing Darwin Nunez, after a performance that Jurgen Klopp conceded was well short of the team’s standards. Tottenham also conceded an early goal but came roaring back to earn a 4-1 victory at home against Southampton after a dominant display that hinted that Spurs are well gelled after a full offseason under Conte, who took over as manager last November.

ETC.

Tennis: Kaia Kanepi moved within one victory of her first title in nine years, overwhelming Daria Saville 6-3, 6-1 at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. Kanepi, a 37-year-old from Estonia, won the last of her four WTA titles in 2013 in Brussels. But she has enjoyed a resurgence this year, reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, and credits smart scheduling for her continued good form. In the final, Kanepi will face 60th-ranked Liudmila Samsonova, who breezed past Xiyun Wang 6-1,

6-1. The 23-year-old Samsonova is seeking her second WTA singles title. She won a hard-court event at New Haven, Connecticut, in 2017.

NHL: The Nashville Predators signed forward

Yakov Trenin to a twoyear, $3.4 million contract after going through arbitration. Trenin, 25, is coming off his best season yet setting career-highs with 80 games played, 17 goals scored, 24 points, 33 blocked shots and 191 hits.

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