A young U.S. men’s national soccer team was put to the test Sunday night in the Concacaf Gold Cup in Arlington, Tex., and with anxiety levels rising and extra time looming, 20-year-old Matthew Hoppe sent the Americans to the semifinals with his first international goal.
The 83rd-minute header provided a 1-0 victory over Jamaica and set up a Thursday meeting in Austin against Qatar, a guest in the regional championship.
In the other semifinal, Canada — a 2-0 winner over Costa Rica in Sunday’s first game — will face defending champion Mexico on Thursday in Houston. Qatar and Mexico won their quarterfinal matches Saturday in Glendale, Ariz.