Football Ferns within two wins of World Cup after Hannah Blake hat-trick, Pia Vlok’s first goal

Monday, 2 March 2026

At National Stadium, Honiara: Football Ferns 8 (Milly Clegg 2’ 81’, Indiah-Paige Riley 8’, Hannah Blake 16’ 65’ 73’, Grace Jale 61’, Pia Vlok 75’) Solomon Islands 0. HT: 3-0

A second 8-0 win in the space of three days has put the Football Ferns within two wins of booking their space at next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.

They eased past the Solomon Islands at the National Stadium in Honiara on Monday evening, with Hannah Blake netting a hat-trick and 17-year-old Wellington Phoenix prodigy Pia Vlok scoring her first international goal.

After beating Samoa 8-0 in their first match, the Ferns will play American Samoa in their final group stage match at the same venue on Thursday.

American Samoa – coached by 55-cap United States international Amanda Cromwell –have beaten the Solomon Islands 1-0 and Samoa 1-0 to join New Zealand in advancing to the semifinals.

Thursday’s match will determine who finishes first and second in the group.

The semifinals and final will be played in Auckland in April.

Blake’s three goals – one in the first half, which went in off the goalkeeper – and two in the second – the first after she rounded the keeper and the second a volley from just inside the box – were her first for the Ferns.

Milly Clegg and Indiah-Paige Riley, with braces and Grace Jale were the other scorers.

Age-group international Suya Haering made her debut off the bench.