Union Goalie Blake Called Up By Jamaican National Squad

Report From PhiladelphiaUnion.com

Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake has been called up to the Jamaican National Team for a pair of March friendlies, the club announced today. Blake and his squad will take on the Barbados National Team in Barbados March 2 before traveling to face the St. Lucia National Team March 5.

The 23-year-old goalkeeper will depart for international duty today, Feb. 26 and return following Jamaica’s March 5 match against St. Lucia. He will miss the Union’s preseason friendly today vs. Toronto FC (1 p.m. ET) and the club’s final match in the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic, which will be played Saturday.

Blake has previously represented Jamaica at the youth level, where he was a member of the U-17 and U-20 Jamaican National Team. Additionally, he has earned call ups with the Senior Jamaican Men’s National Team, most recently on June 11, 2013, where he was in the 18 man roster selection of a 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying match against Honduras.

Blake, the No. 1 overall selection by the Union in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, was named American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year and also was a Semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy during his senior year at the University of Connecticut.