US striker Hoppe signs contract extension with Schalke

Schalke’s Matthew Hoppe eyes the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

Schalke’s Matthew Hoppe eyes the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — United States forward Matthew Hoppe signed a contract extension with German club Schalke on Monday after scoring five goals in his first nine Bundesliga games.

The club said the 19-year-old American’s new deal runs until the end of the 2022-23 season.

Hoppe was with the Schalke reserves until November. He scored three goals in a 4-0 win over Hoffenheim on Jan. 9 to end Schalke’s near-record run of 30 league games without a win.

“The last few weeks have been like a dream. I am extremely thankful to everyone at Schalke for giving me this chance,” Hoppe said in a statement. “Now I want to play my part in us being successful again.”

Schalke is in last place in the Bundesliga with eight points from 19 games.

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