Toronto FC striker Ayo Akinola has been ruled out of the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup which begins in Poland on Thursday, May 23, the United States Soccer Federation announced on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old was initially named to United States' final squad but has been replaced by LA Galaxy right back Julian Araujo after failing to recover from an ankle injury.

An injured player may be replaced on the roster twenty-four hours before the team's opening match and it must be approved by the tournament medical committee.

Akinola was one of the stars of the CONCACAF U-20 Championship 2018, scoring 7 goals in 8 matches to help the United States win the Cup.

The Detroit native, who is being courted by the Nigeria Football Federation, had been in contention to start for the Americans in their second group match against the Flying Eagles at the Stadion Miejski, Bielsko-Biała on May 27.

He was on target against Ghana at the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2017.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : ussoccer.com