But, to make room for Costa Rican international Cesar Elizondo, Canadian midfielder Shaun Saiko was released from his contract by the San Antonio Scorpions on Tuesday.

“I couldn’t care less about Shaun Saiko anymore. We don’t pay his wages anymore. He left our club and it’s history. I have no interest in San Antonio or Shaun Saiko. I’m interested in the guys that are here. This is how I feel. These are our players, the club has moved on, the club is evolving and we’re in a good place. Unfortunately, we’re where we are in the league, but progress is being made.”

It wasn’t FC Edmonton’s prettiest match of the season, but it might have been the club’s best effort of the season.

NASL commissioner Bill Peterson has an unfortunate problem on his hands. And that’s what to do with Silverbacks midfielder Danny Barrera, who is earning (or has earned) the reputation as the league’s dirtiest player.

The North American Soccer League has a mini-crisis on its hands at the moment. And, in the coming days, how the NASL handles the fallout from Sunday’s Fort Lauderdale Strikers/FC Edmonton match can either go a long way to building the credibility of the league or entrenching the image of North American soccer outside of MLS as rudderless.

NASL has finally stepped up when it comes to after-the-fact discipline. And Canadian midfielder Kevin Harmse will pay the price for his actions.

Miller joked that it was “handbags, lipstick and eyeshadow,” but it was clear the emotions weren’t being kept in check on the field. Maybe the biggest surprise is that no one was sent off, though Eddie Corey Hertzog was stretchered off late in game after being scythed to the turf by Milton Blanco, who saw yellow. Hertzog has a knock on his hip.

“I don’t think too much about it. Obviously, it was a bad challenge. And he hasn’t apologized to me. Maybe I’ll get an apology on Sunday. Maybe, if I do, then I might lay off of him a bit. If not, we’ll see what happens. Maybe I’ll get Nursie (hard-edged midfielder Chris Nurse) to sort things out.”

Mirabelli wasn’t the only Eddie who needed medical attention after the game. Captain and central defender Albert Watson also needed emergency dental work after his two front teeth were knocked out (more on that later). The Eddies dressing room may have resembled an NHL team's.

But, the Eddies got two second-half goals in the space of 93 seconds, then held on to beat the Silverbacks by a 2-1 count. The win saw FC Edmonton spring off the league basement, ahead of the Silverbacks.