The quality of Hannah Blake’s goal for New Zealand against the Netherlands at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup has thrust her into the international spotlight and she has every intention of staying there.

At just 18-years-old, the Three Kings United forward has already played in two major tournaments and has her sights firmly set on setting the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup alight.

Speaking to the @UoDFootyJournos, Blake expressed her desire to add to her one cap for the Football Ferns and wants to use this year’s tournament as a stepping stone to catapult herself into senior contention.

“As you progress through the system, you hope one day that you can represent your country at the highest level,” Blake says.

“It’s an aspiration, not only for myself, but for any footballer in New Zealand. I hope my performances at this tournament can guide me into the first-team set up.”

Despite being one of the youngest amongst her team mates, Blake is one of the more experienced players within the squad, having played at the previous U-20 tournament in Papua New Guinea in 2016, aged only 16.

“I have experience on my side and being one of the youngest is definitely a benefit as well,” she says.

However, Blake explained how her team mates around her have also provided guidance to those who are not as experienced as themselves.

“If you look across the board, our team is lucky to have quite a lot of experience. Even for the girls who are not as experienced, they are extremely talented and have performed so well,” she says.

“We’ve gelled together so well and it shows the interaction between everyone in the team, no matter how experienced they are.”

Blake and her team mates could not overcome the Netherlands in their opening group game, narrowly losing out 2-1 in a tightly-contested affair. But they went one better days later against hosts France, earning a remarkable scoreless draw to keep their hopes of progressing past the group stages alive.

They must now earn a big win over Ghana – and hope France slip up against the Netherlands – to go through and Blake sees no reason why they can’t pull it off.

“I have so much confidence in this team. The games against the Netherlands and France, as well as our warm-up match against Mexico, have proved that we can go toe-to-toe with some of the best countries in the world,” she says.

“This team around me has so much potential and on any day we can beat any side put in front of us. The girls go out every time despite being the underdogs to go and prove that no one should underestimate the quality we have.”

In that game against the Netherlands, Blake scored a superb curling effort to equalise just before half-time. The youngster is hoping it’s among the first of many in her quest to become a regular scorer at international level.

“Of course, as a forward it’s my job to score goals and it’s one of the best feelings too. Obviously, I’d like to score as many goals as I can so no doubt that’s an aim I’d like to achieve.”

Goals are important to any player but Blake ranks them high up on her footballing CV, proclaiming them as some of her proudest moments in a New Zealand shirt.

“Every time you get to put on the New Zealand shirt, it’s such a proud moment. But, being a forward, scoring a goal for your country is something you just can’t put into words.”

But how did Blake’s footballing career come to fruition? The talented teen recalls being interested in the beautiful game at an early age.

“I was really young, around four or five. I would just follow my brother around as he would be playing it all the time. With me being an obsessive little sister, I was just copying everything he was doing and that was my first real taste of football.”

Blake will be looking to continue her progression by taking centre stage on Monday morning at 2.30am (NZ time) as New Zealand face Ghana in their final match of Group A at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Story courtesy of @UoDFootyJournos

Match Details

New Zealand vs Ghana
Monday 13 August, 2.30am
Stade Guy-Piriou, Concarneau
Live on SKY Sport

New Zealand: 1. Anna Leat (GK), 2. Sarah Morton, 3. Rebecca Lake, 4. Elizabeth Anton, 5. Michaela Foster, 6. Nicole Mettam, 7. Hannah Blake, 8. Malia Steinmetz (c), 9. Samantha Tawharu, 10. Grace Jale, 11. Jacqui Hand, 12. Rose Morton, 13. Paige Satchell, 14. Claudia Bunge, 15. Tiana Hill, 16. Gabi Rennie, 17. Dayna Stevens, 18. Aneka Mittendorff, 19. Maggie Jenkins, 20. Nadia Olla (GK), 21. Una Foyle (GK)
Coach: Gareth Turnbull  

Article added: Sunday 12 August 2018