Striker Kelly Smith has been ruled out of England's clash in nine days' time aga

Striker Kelly Smith has been ruled out of England's clash in nine days' time against world champions USA...Smith suffered an injury during a club match for Philadelphia Charge in the American women's professional league WUSA last weekend.

Scans on Tuesday revealed that Smith has a medial tear in her right meniscus. It is a massive blow for England's highly-rated player because it is the same knee she had surgery on last year after tearing her cruciate ligament. That injury kept her out of the game for six months, including missing England's World Cup play-off campaign.

Smith will be having surgery on her knee on Friday and is expected to be out of action for three to four weeks.

National Coach Hope Powell OBE has called up Fulham striker Una Nwajei in place of Smith. Nwajei was part of the Fulham side that beat Charlton Athletic 3-0 to lift The FA Women's Cup, in partnership with Nationwide, on Monday. Nwajei has three caps and no goals.

England will play world champions USA on Saturday May 17th at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The squad will then travel onto Canada for a double series, the first game taking place in Montreal on Monday 19th May at 7.00pm and the second in the Frank Clair Stadium, Ottowa, also with a 7.00pm kick-off.