Earlier this month Toronto FC forward Ayo Akinola was in Bradenton, Florida for the United States U-20 Men’s Invitational tournament. The tournament featured both the US Men’s U-20 and U-19 sides as well as the U-20 sides from Jamaica and Venezuela.
Akinola, who played a major role for the United States at last summer’s U-17 World Cup, earned his first call-up to the U-20 set up for this tournament.
The U-20s opened the tournament with a 3-1 victory over Jamaica with Akinola scoring the third goal for the Yanks.
“A bouncing ball fell to Akinola in the penalty area. Leaving little doubt behind his strike, the Toronto FC Homegrown volleyed the ball into the net from the left side of the box,” described US Soccer.
The second game saw a ten-man U-20 side upset by the US U-19 squad 1-0.
Akinola started the final game of the tournament scoring the third goal for the US in a 3-1 victory over the U-20 side from Venezuela.
The tournament was a tune-up for the CONCACAF U-20 Championship which is slated to occur from November 1-21 in Florida. The US was drawn into group A, while Canada, who should feature some TFC Academy players, was drawn into Group D. The CONCACAF U-20 Championship is a qualifier for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup happening in Poland next summer.
