Weekend Rewind: Matthew Hoppe Steals the Show with Hat Trick for Schalke
Nineteen-Year-Old U.S. Soccer Development Academy Product Became First U.S. Player to Record a Hat Trick in the Bundesliga
Another Match Day in the Bundesliga, another milestone for an American player.
Matthew Hoppe made history Saturday, becoming the first U.S. player to register a hat-trick in Germany's top tier in Schalke's 4-0 victory against Hoffenheim.
The former U.S. Soccer Development Academy standout helped Schalke snap a 30-game winless streak that lasted almost a year. Schalke hadn't won a game since Jan. 17, 2020.
Hoppe also became the third U.S. player to score three goals in a top European League, joining Clint Dempsey (Fulham) and Christian Pulisic (Chelsea).
In Schalke's hour of need, 19-year-old Matthew Hoppe stepped up with the first ever Bundesliga hat-trick by an American player 🎩
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) January 9, 2021
What dreams are made of ✨🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/CfZYuMBVWG
The 19-year-old forward who made his Schalke debut against Borussia Monchengladbach on Nov. 28, recorded his hat-trick during an impressive 21-minute span in the second half.
Hoppe competed in the Development Academy for Strikers FC, Grande Sports Academy and Barcelona Academy. A part of the U-20 USMNT player pool in 2020, Hoppe has yet to appear for the U.S. at any age level.
In other weekend matches:
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A week after the English Premier League's Pennsylvania Derby, the Bundesliga staged one of its own, but these performers were from New York. Reyna, who hails from Bedford, N.Y., and his Borussia Dortmund teammates defeated Tyler Adams of Wappingers Falls, N.Y. and his RB Leipzig mates in the Bundesliga, 3-1. Both players went the full 90 minutes in the match. Fourth-place Dortmund's win denied second-place Leipzig (9-2-4, 31) from taking over the league lead after Bayern Munich (10-2-3, 33) dropped a 3-2 result to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday.
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In a rarity, four American players saw action in Fulham's 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday. USMNT center back Tim Ream went the distance for the visitors and defender Antonee Robinson came on as a substitute in the 90th minute. For QPR, former U.S. center back Geoff Cameron was replaced in the 90th minute and U.S. youth national team forward Charlie Kelman came on as a 73rd-minute sub.
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After helping Manchester City book its ticket to the English League Cup Final with a 2-0 win against Manchester United at midweek, goalkeeper Zack Steffen appeared in his third-straight match for the club as they eased past Birmingham City 4-0 in Saturday’s FA Cup contest.
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With the match level at 0-0, right back DeAndre Yedlin came on in the 81st minute of Newcastle United’s 2-0 extra time defeat to Arsenal.
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Christian Pulisic came off the bench to play in the final 22 minutes of Chelsea's 4-0 home triumph against Morecambe.
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Weston McKennie, who became the first American to score at San Siro in Juventus's 3-1 victory against AC Milan on Jan. 6, was taken out of the Italian Serie A encounter of the 3-1 home win past Sassuolo with an apparent injury in the 19th minute.
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On loan to Bournemouth, center back Cameron Carter-Vickers made his club debut, going 90 minutes in the Cherries’ 4-1 FA Cup win against Oldham Athletic.
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Matthew Olosunde, who has played for several U.S. youth national sides, scored the equalizer for Rotherham United in its 2-1 loss at Everton on Saturday.
A full rundown of how U.S. players performed this past week:
-- Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig; German Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund (Jan. 9)
-- John Brooks (Wolfsburg; German Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Union Berlin (Jan. 9)
-- Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Santa Clara (Jan. 9)
-- Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) – In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Ceara (Jan. 7)
-- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Bournemouth; English Championship) – 90 minutes in 4-1 win vs. Oldham Athletic (Jan. 9)
-- Konrad de la Fuente (Barcelona; Spain La Liga/Segunda B) - In 18, DNP in 4-0 win at Granada (Jan. 9); In 18, DNP in 3-2 win at Athletic Club (Jan. 6)
-- Sergiño Dest (Barcelona; Spain La Liga) – 81 minutes in 4-0 win at Granada (Jan. 9): 75 minutes in 3-2 win at Athletic Club (Jan. 6)
-- Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen; French Ligue 2) – vs. Toulouse (Monday at 2:45 p.m. ET): 74 minutes in 3-1 win at Auxerre (Jan. 5)
Julian Green (Greuther Fürth; German Second Bundesliga) – 90 minutes and ASSIST in 3-2 loss at Karlsruher (Jan. 8)
-- Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge; Belgian Pro League) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 win at Sint-Truiden (Jan. 10)
-- Duane Holmes (Derby County; English Championship) – Not in 18 in 2-0 loss at Chroley in FA Cup (Jan. 9)
-- Ulysses Llanez (Heerenveen; Dutch Eredivisie) – In 18, DNP in 3-1 loss vs. Fortuna Sittard (Jan. 10)
-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italian Serie A) – 19 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Sassuolo (Jan. 10); 16 minutes as a substitute and a GOAL in 3-1 win at A.C. Milan (Jan. 6)
-- Matt Miazga (RSC Anderlecht; Belgian First Division A) - 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss at OH Leuven (Jan. 10)
-- Alfredo Morales (Fortuna Düsseldorf; German Second Bundesliga) – at Eintracht Braunschweig (Monday, 2:30 p.m. ET)
-- Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - 1 minutes in 1-0 win at Real Valladolid (Jan. 10); In 18, DNP in 4-1 win at Yeclano (Jan. 7)
-- Owen Otasowie (Wolverhampton Wanderers; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Crystal Palace in FA Cup (Jan. 8)
-- Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; English Premier League) – 22 minutes as a substitute in 4-0 win vs. Morecambe in FA Cup (Jan. 10)
-- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers in FA Cup (Jan. 9)
-- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; German Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 3-1 win at RD Leipzig (Jan. 9)
-- Chris Richards (Bayern Munich; German Bundesliga/German 3.Liga) – Not in 18, DNP in 3-2 loss at Borussia Mönchengladbach (Jan. 8)
-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) – 1 minute as a sub in 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers in FA Cup (Jan. 9)
-- Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen; German Bundesliga) – 81 minutes in 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen (Jan. 9)
-- Sebastian Soto (Telstar, Dutch Eerste Divisie) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at De Graafschap (Jan. 8)
-- Zack Steffen (Manchester City; English Premier League) – 90 minutes and SHUTOUT in 3-0 win vs. Birmingham City in FA Cup (Jan. 10); 90 minutes and SHUTOUT in 2-0 win at Manchester United in EFL (Jan. 6)
-- Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) – 76 minutes in 1-0 win at Nimes (Jan. 9); 29 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. Angers (Jan. 6)
-- DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United; English Premier League) - 9 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss at Arsenal in FA Cup (Jan. 9)