Pepi ends 30-game, 345-day drought, gets goal for Groningen

By The Associated Press

American forward Ricardo Pepi has ended a 30-match scoreless streak for club and country that reached almost a year. He got his first goal for Groningen in a 2-1 loss at Sparta Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie. Pepi outjumped defender Adil Auassar just outside the 6-yard box and headed Isak Määttä’s cross to the left of diving goalkeeper Youri Schoonderwaldt for a 1-0 lead in the 61st minute. A 19-year-old from El Paso, Texas, Pepi had not scored since getting two goals for the United States in a 2-0 win over Jamaica last Oct. 7 during a World Cup qualifier. Pepi had gone 345 days without a goal.