School Girls feature in NZ Under-20 Football Squad

Hannah Bake.

In October 2017, New Zealand become the first nation to qualify for the 2018 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup.
 
New Zealand won the Oceania Football Confederation Under-19 Women's Championship for a sixth time to earn their place in France in August, 2018.
 
The Oceania tournament featured six countries: New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Samoa and Tonga with the Kiwis winning all five matches and outscoring opponents 48 goals to one.
 
On Monday a provisional World Cup squad was selected and the following school girls have earned selection:
 
Hannah Blake - Saint Kentigern College
Georgia Candy - Hamilton Girls High School
Tahlia Herman-Watt - Rangiora High School
Tiana Hill - Otumoetai College
Maggie Jenkins - Epsom Girls Grammar
Anna Leat - Rangitoto College
Aneka Mittendorff - Westlake Girls High School
Rose Morton - Northcote College
Gabrielle Rennie - Rangiora High School
 
Standby Players
Kelli Brown - Hamilton Girls High School
Hannah Mackay-Wright - Rangitoto College
Dayna Stevens - Glenfield College
 
Hannah Blake with eight goals only trailed Emma Main (11) as the most prolific Kiwi goal scorer at the Oceania tourney.

There are 16 teams as the World Cup split into four pools of four. New Zealand is grouped with hosts France, African champions Ghana and the Netherlands.
 
The defending World Champions are North Korea while Germany and the USA have each won the bi-annual tournament which stretches back to 2002 three times.
 
New Zealand’s best result at the World Cup was in 2014 when they made the quarter finals.
 
New Zealand Under-20 World Cup Record
 
Played: 19
Won: 5
Drawn: 3
Lost: 11
Goals For: 24
Goals Against: 41

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