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Expectations on USMNT, Schalke forward Hoppe continue to rise, and he continues to exceed them

Time was running out for Matthew Hoppe, in more ways than one. There was little more than seven minutes left in Sunday's Gold Cup quarterfinal between the U.S. and Jamaica, but Hoppe's night was going to end before the full-time whistle. Nicholas Gioacchini was on the sidelines ready to replace him. The next stoppage in play would see Hoppe carry a night's worth of frustration with him to the bench.

At which point, Hoppe, 20, made sure he went out on a high. With Cristian Roldan's deft cross arcing across the Jamaica goalmouth, Hoppe skied at the far post, outleaping Jamaica's Oneil Fisher, avoiding attentions of Reggae Boyz keeper Andre Blake and headed the ball home to give the U.