Playing with 10 men for the game’s final 53 minutes, Toronto FC managed a 2-2 tie with D.C. United Saturday evening at Blackbaud Stadium.The stalemate, on the third and final game day of the 2011 Carolina Challenge Cup, secured United’s second consecutive tournament title.

There’s something about Canada that brings out the best in Jamie Smith.The Colorado Rapids’ midfielder scored the only goal as the MLS Cup champs beat the Whitecaps 1-0 in Vancouver Saturday in the teams’ final tuneup before the season kicks off.

FC Edmonton won its first match of the preseason Saturday, 4-1 over the Univesity of New Mexico in Arizona.In Thursday’s 1-1 draw with UNM, coach Harry Sinkgraven started a group of players that included proejcted back-ups. On Saturday, he played what, depending on some signings to come in the next couple of weeks, will be close to the starting XI fans will see April 9 when FCE opens its inaugural NASL campaign against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

Long Tan’s days as a trialist are over. Blake Wagner has made the return to MLS from Division-2.Both players signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps Friday after impressing the brass with their preseason performances.

Toronto FC has made a deal to try and get some more goals in the lineup.The Reds sent midfielder Nick LaBrocca, who they acquired in 2010 from the Colorado Rapids, to Chivas USA for American striker Alan Gordon.

If Major League Soccer is true to its word, we can expect to see a rise in the number of cards and penalty kicks awarded in games this season.Commissioner Don Garber outlined some new points of emphasis for MLS officials in his season kickoff conference call Friday. Garber made it clear that the league was concerned over what it felt was the number of infractions that went unpunished in games last season.

Dan Antoniuk’s trial with FC Edmonton may have gone too well.The San Diego Sockers, Antoniuk’s current indoor-soccer club, confirmed Friday that he won’t be returning to Cincinnati for the Professional Arena Soccer League’s North American Championship. Not because Antoniuk is still with FC Edmonton, but because he accepted a one-game trial with FC Dallas.

Last season, Calgary United FC was eliminated after the first game of the Professional Arena Soccer League’s North American Championships by giving up four goals to the California Cougars in the dying minutes.This season, the defending Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League champs didn’t leave anyone in suspense. Oswaldo Medina scored just nine seconds after the match kicked off, and the PPM Sidekicks del Estado de Mexico rolled to a 10-2 win, eliminating Calgary from the Cincinnati tournament with ease.

Toronto FC has officially announced the signing of Canadian’s national-team midfielder Gianluca Zavarise.TFC head coach and technical director Aron Winter said he believes that Zavarise, who was most recently with Greek side Iraklis FC, can fit well into the 4-3-3 set-up he champions.

Dan Antoniuk’s continued his impressive audition for a spot on the FC Edmonton roster.The striker scored the opening goal Thursday in the new NASL team’s 1-1 draw with the University of New Mexico in a friendly in Arizona.