Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain celebrates with his teammates after their Davis Cup semifinal victory over the US at the Parque Hermanos Castro in Gijon, northern Spain, Sunday. — Reuters READING, England – England striker Jermain Defoe scored twice as Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed its first victory under Andre Villas-Boas courtesy of a 3-1 Premier League win away to Reading Sunday. Spurs had drawn two and lost one of its three previous league matches this term under Villas-Boas. And doubts were starting to surface at White Hart Lane as to whether the Portuguese, sacked by London rivals Chelsea before it won the Champions League last season, was the right man to replace the popular Harry Redknapp. Defoe gave Spurs an 18th minute lead at the Madejski Stadium when he stroked in a pull-back from Aaron Lennon after a burst down the right flank by the winger. Spurs, which climbed several places to 10th spot in the table, nearly had a second goal when an error by novice keeper Alex McCarthy, dwelling on the ball in the box, saw him dispossessed by Defoe. Defoe cut the ball back for Gylfi Sigurdsson but the Iceland international was denied on the line by Alex Pearce. At half-time, Premier League newcomer Reading, which remained second bottom with just one point from three matches, could consider itself fortunate to be only 1-0 down. But, with such a slender deficit, the Royals were still in the game. And that remained the case until 19 minutes from time when Gareth Bale finally gave Spurs the second goal their dominance deserved. Kyle Walker's cross found Bale and the Wales star's scuffed shot beat McCarthy, already committed to a dive. Having made it 2-0 in the 71st minute, Spurs added a third three minutes later when Defoe, on the break, beat McCarthy with a shot into the far corner. However, Tottenham were denied a clean sheet when Hal Robson-Kanu pulled a goal back for Reading in the closing moments. Luis Suarez equalized in the 71st minute Saturday as Liverpool's stuttering start under manager Brendan Rodgers continued with a 1-1 draw at Sunderland that leaves the club with just two points from four games. Suarez netted from close range to cancel out Steven Fletcher's first-half opener and spare Rodgers another loss after the club's worst start to a season in 50 years. Liverpool's players walked out wearing tracksuit tops with the No. “96” on the backs to honor the victims of the Hillsborough disaster and flags at the Stadium of Light flew at half-mast. As so often during the opening weeks of the season, though, Liverpool dominated possession but were unable to make the pressure tell. Both Steven Gerrard and defender Glen Johnson hit the woodwork for the visitors. Troyes holds Lille A late goal by substitute Sebastian Grax denied struggling 2011 French champion Lille all three points as it had to settle for a 1-1 draw at promoted Troyes in Ligue 1 Saturday. Lille, which has not won since its opener at Saint-Etienne, is 11th with six points from five matches, six points behind leader Olympique Marseille. Girondins Bordeaux, which had a chance to climb to second, was held to a goalless draw at Valenciennes. Sochaux moved off the bottom with its first win of the season at 10-man St Etienne, while fellow struggler Evian Thonon Gaillard defeated Bastia 3-0 and Nice won 4-2 at Brest. Evian is 15th on four points while Bastia, which surprisingly won its first two games in the top flight, is 12th on six. — Agencies
