]Even though coach Jason Kreis has just four weeks and three days to get Real Salt Lake prepared for its first competitive game, he wouldn’t dream of asking Will Johnson to skip Canada’s Feb. 9 friendly in Greece. Kreis and Johnson confirmed at the opening of Real Salt Lake training camp Saturday at the University of Utah that the Canadian midfielder will be part of Stephen Hart’s squad that will go to Greece.

The fledgling North American Soccer League has confirmed that the United States Soccer Federation has yanked its pledge to sanction it as the region’s official Division 2.

After a relationship with Adidas that lasted over a decade fell apart, Canada has come back to Umbro, and will wear the new kits when the men’s team plays Greece on Feb. 9. And, of course, the women will wear the Umbro jerseys when they play at the upcoming World Cup.

Can a Nutrilite Canadian Championship game generate enough interest to sell 50,000 tickets? That question will be answered in May, when FC Edmonton hosts Toronto FC at Commonwealth Stadium.

The Edmonton Drillers scored three goals in a 55-second span to snatch a win out of the jaws of defeat. Trailing 8-7 with less than three minutes left in regulation at home to Calgary United in Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League action Saturday, the Drillers took advantage of a goalkeeping error to turn the game on its ear — and came out with a 10-9 win.

Canadian international Will Johnson penned a new contract with Real Salt Lake on Tuesday. But, still, Canada-fuelled rumours of a trade to Toronto FC or another Canadian club won’t go away. Give it up, people.

So, here’s the question. Based on the criteria of most valuable to his or her team, to whom would you give the award (man, woman or both)? We at The 11 would love to know.

200 brave souls who made it down to the city’s south side to watch the Edmonton Drillers boost their Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League record to 2-1 with a 4-3, 12-1 doubleheader sweep of the Winnipeg Alliance.

Despite the departure of several of his stars, Calgary United coach Troye Flannery has confidence his team can repeat as Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League champions. “We’ve got some hard work ahead, but certainly that’s the intent without a doubt,” said Flannery, whose squad began defence of its CMISL title with a narrow 7-6 win over the Edmonton Drillers on New Year’s Eve at the Subway Soccer Centre. The off-season took its toll on the United as Chris Kooy, Kyle Yamada and Andre Duberry all signed professional contracts with Edmonton FC of the North American Soccer League, while veteran forward Mark Slade decided to retire.

They were shorthanded in a 7-6 season opening loss in Calgary; but the Edmonton Drillers will be at full strength for their 2011 Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League home debut this Saturday, The Drillers will play a doubleheader against Winnipeg Alliance. Drillers head coach Kevin Poissant said that because the CMISL was late in releasing the schedule, it was hard for the team to find enough players to send a competitive squad down to Calgary. The fact that kickoff for that game was set for 2 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve didn’t help matters.