The NASL’s disciplinary committee decided not to lengthen the red-card suspensions of FC Edmonton keeper Rein Baart and forward Chris Lemire.

The Montreal Impact sent all of NASL a message on Sunday night. And FC Edmonton showed some serious defensive and goalkeeping frailties. The Impact routed FCE 5-0 in the first NASL game played at Foote Field, with league commissioner David Downs in attendance.

With one tackle, FC Edmonton’s slim chance of upsetting Toronto FC in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship evaporated.

Harry Sinkgraven and Aron Winter know each other well. They played against each other in the Dutch league. They were in classes together as they worked towards getting their coaching certificates. And, both are working to bring the Dutch 4-3-3 style to their respective teams. Winter’s Toronto FC and Sinkgraven’s FC Edmonton will face each other Wednesday in the first leg of their Nutrilite Canadian Championship semifinal at Commonwealth Stadium. But, once the first ball is kicked in anger, the friendship between the two will evaporate.

FC Edmonton’s final push to promote Wednesday’s Nutrilite Canadian Championship opener at Commonwealth Stadium begins on Monday. The club is hosting a meet-the-team event at Sports Central Bar and Grill (9221 34 Ave.) Monday at 6 p.m. Edmonton products Shaun Saiko and Chris Lemire, Trinidad and Tobago striker Conrad Smith and coach Harry Sinkgraven will be on hand to meet fans. FC Edmonton’s new all-white road jerseys will be available for sale for the first time at the event; here’s to hoping that the new home blue strip also is at the event. On Tuesday, Toronto FC coach Aron Winter and Sinkgraven will attend a press conference at Commonwealth Stadium. For the pair, it will be a reunion of sorts. The two took classes together to get their coaching certifications in the Netherlands.

FC Edmonton finally looked like an expansion team. After two wins to start the club’s first NASL season, the FC Edmonton couldn’t finish its chances, and were left red-faced in conceding two bad goals to the Carolina RailHawks in a 2-0 loss.

FC Edmonton has inked former Ottawa Fury defender Adrian Leroy to a contract. Leroy, who was on trial with the NASL club for the past two weeks, was offered the deal late last week, but the paperwork was sorted out as of Monday.

FC Edmonton has announced the 18-man roster for its next two matches, Saturday against the Atlanta Silverbacks and Wednesday in Cary, N.C. against the RailHawks.

It’s hard to use the term “business as usual” for a club that played it’s first NASL game on Saturday, but FC Edmonton coach Harry Sinkgraven continues to put his team through the paces in Florida, away from the Alberta cold, as it prepares to try and make it two wins a row this Saturday against the Atlanta Silverbacks. The furthest thing from the minds of the club’s brass — and the players — is the current dispute between the Alberta Soccer Association and the Canadian Soccer Association. “No one from any body has contacted us,” said FCE spokesman Andreas Morse.

FC Edmonton wants to prove all the naysayers wrong. The club made an impressive statement Saturday, going on the road and beating the Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2-1 in their NASL opener. Substitute Dan Antoniuk scored the winner off a scramble in the box. “We’re confident, we’re a little bit cocky,” said midfielder Shaun Saiko, who scored on a 25-yard screamer to draw FCE level in the second half.