After almost a year on the sidelines, Ayo Akinola made his long-awaited return from injury during Toronto FC’s 2-1 defeat to FC Cincinnati.
Despite the result on the day, BMO Field erupted in cheers as Akinola was brought on in the 74th minute for his first competitive appearance since suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear on July 18th, 2021 while at the Gold Cup with the Canadian men’s national team.
It was also the first time the young striker was on the pitch for TFC since July 7th, 2021 against the New England Revolution.
Akinola looked lively in his 15 minutes of action against Cincinnati as Toronto searched for an equalizer after Jesús Jiménez had pulled one back for the hosts in the 65th minute.