Using my regular PVR-ing of games as a tested-over-time barometer, I can state that 30 minutes of stop time might actually see fans treated to more ball-in-play action than we have now.

Larin is still comfortably in second place, but Orlando teammate Will Johnson took over the lead.

To say that Alison Lemon has a diverse soccer résumé would be an understatement.

But, on Saturday night, referee Daniel Radford just got it plain wrong. To call a hand-ball in the box, you need to have an essential ingredient: The ball has to make contact with the arm or hand of the offending player.

The Canadian national-team forward and Orlando City star was arrested earlier Thursday morning. He was charged by Orlando Police for driving under the influence, after allegedly having a blood alcohol level of .179.

“This is a local derby, this is,” Miller joked. “We could almost walk there or take bikes or whatever. It’s great; it’s a west-coast rivalry, it’s as close as you can be for a rivalry in our league. It does feel like a genuinely short trip.”

Junior Hoilett messed up his chance to be the hero — so Anthony Jackson-Hamel got the cape, instead.

Three Canadian keepers all made their season debuts: Nathan Ingham started Wednesday and Saturday for FC Edmonton, as he looks (for now) to have at least a loose grip on the No. 1 position with the club. Marcel DeBellis, formerly of the Ottawa Fury, got into a game for the Richmond Kickers; and Marco Carducci finally got his chance to start for Rio Grande Valley.

On a day when Canada Soccer honoured five retiring veterans — Kaylyn Kyle, Lauren Sesselmann, Robyn Gayle, Josee Belanger and Jonelle Filigno — it was the kids who made themselves count.  Janine Beckie, age 22, had a hat trick, 16-year-old Jordyn Huitema had two and 18-year-old Deanne Rose opened the scoring.

“He said there was a push, but there was just the usual hustle and bustle in the box you usually get every game,” said Ameobi.