As preseason games go, Toronto FC’s 1-0 win over Red Star Belgrade Sunday in Turkey was significant.Usually, when facing European opposition in friendlies or preseason games, MLS teams are used to seeing squads filled with “B” team players and prospects. But Red Star Belgrade fielded what was close to a full-strength squad — and only used three subs, as if the Toronto FC match was a regular Serbian league game. The club resumes its Serbian league schedule Feb. 27 after the end of the winter break.

Paul Stalteri, Canada’s all-time leader in national-team appearances, will have the chance to add another cap.Stalteri was called up Sunday by national-team coach Stephen Hart.

Canadian men’s national team coach Stephen Hart has been working the phones, trying to get a pair of replacements into the national team roster for Wednesday’s friendly against Greece in Larissa.

Saturday, Canadian Soccer Association delegates followed the wishes of soccer fans in this country, and agreed to turf the status quo.At its meeting in Ottawa, delegates voted to begin the process for a new governance structure for the CSA. The new system is to be phased in beginning in 2012, and reduces the number of members on the board from 20 to 13.

The Canadian Soccer Association revealed the names of the players who will attend the Feb. 5-13 evaluation camp in Sunrise, Fla.The roster illustrates the mountain we have to climb in Canada before we can truly have a well-stocked Canadian program. Of the 23 players on the roster (included below), 13 came from Ontario. One came from Manitoba. Just two from Alberta. And, shockingly, defender Daniel Stanese is the lone representative on the team from B.C.

So, what now for Canada? Carolina Morace, the Italian coach who saved the Canadian women’s program from the thump-the-ball-up-the-field-and-chase-it thuggery promoted by her predecessor, Even Pellerud, will leave the program after the women’s World Cup.

The Boys from Brazil are propping up the Carolina RailHawks franchise.Traffic USA, which already owns Miami FC and is a “strategic partner” in the Atlanta Silverbacks franchise, announced Friday that it was taking the lead financial position in a new partnership in the struggling RailHawks franchise.

Adrian Cann has been added to the Canadian roster for the Feb. 9 friendly against Greece. Toronto FC is training in Turkey, which neighbours Greece, so bringing reigning team MVP Cann over was the easiest solution available to coach Stephen Hart, who learned yesterday that FC Koln central defender Kevin McKenna would not be available due to a back problem.

With seven members of his national championship side off to the pro ranks, coach Caleb Porter has to replenish the cupboards at the University of Akron. What Porter has established in his five years has helped the cause. “We’re always going to have to work hard,” Porter says of recruiting. “Everybody wants those (top recruits) guys and we’re going to have to work to get them. I think our biggest sell right now is not so much that we’ve won but it’s the way we play. The way we play helps to develop players for the next level.

It’s rare for Caleb Porter to take a break from his passion. The University of Akron head coach is a self-professed soccer junkie, constantly watching, reading about and developing tactics for the game so it was a strange thing for him to put everything aside for a month following his Zips’ 1-0 win over Louisville in the NCAA title match on Dec. 12.The championship was Akron’s first as a school. But given the stamp the 35-year-old Porter has put on the program in his five years in charge, it might not be the last.