FC Edmonton will extend the amateur contract of goalkeeper Justin Ammar, so he can continue to apprentice during the club’s current netminding crisis. Ammar is a St. Albert, Alta. native who came in and played the final 10 minutes in Friday’s 1-0 loss to the Carolina RailHawks after starting keeper Lance Parker left Foote Field in an ambulance after suffering a compound fracture to his right arm.

FC Edmonton’s 1-0 loss to the Carolina RailHawks was made all the more painful due to a serious injury suffered by keeper Lance Parker. Parker was carried off a stretcher, right arm immobilized, to a waiting ambulance on the sidelines after colliding with Carolina striker Etienne Barbara and falling awkwardly to the hard Foote Field artificial surface.

This Friday night, FC Edmonton will try to do what no other NASL club has done so far this season. Stop Etienne Barbara. The Maltese striker has 12 goals in 10 games so far this season. He’s only been held off the scoresheet once so far this NASL campaign. And, in that game, he set up both Carolina goals.

News is made when something out of the ordinary happens. The classic case of man bites dog. So, the fact that Carolina RailHawks striker Etienne Barbara was named the NASL’s player of the month for May isn’t news — but it is interesting.

For this week at least, FC Edmonton’s Kyle Porter looms larger than the most prolific scorer in North American pro soccer. Porter was named the NASL’s offensive player of the week on Tuesday. The Mississauga. Ont. native scored with his right foot in the first half and with his left in the second as FC Edmonton beat the NSC Minnesota Stars 2-1 to wrap up the Victoria Day long weekend.

In an interview today, Hill told The 11 that he welcomes the CSA or the CSL to call him to help with the inquiry — and that there is no excuse for delays. “Right now, innocent or guilty, there is a dark cloud hanging over Canadian soccer,” said Hill. “A court has identified a game that it considers suspicious. Done. Let’s get the investigation started. I am not talking about making arrests. I’m not saying that someone is guilty or innocent. But the investigation has to start right away.”

FC Edmonton Lance Parker was named the NASL’s Defensive Player of the Week Monday. Parker has been a revelation for FC Edmonton since he took over in goal from Rein Baart three matches ago. He has started the last two NASL matches for FC Edmonton and the second leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship semifinal, allowing just two goals in that stretch, and making a series of highlight-reel saves.

“We always have a good game against this team. I really liked it,” said Barbara, who has scored in every NASL game he’s played in this season and already set the RailHawks record for most goals in a season with nine. “Any game we play against Montreal could go either way. Right now I’m on a streak and everything is happening automatically. I could have got another hat trick today.” Reminded that the Impact is moving on up next season Barbara expressed his interest in doing the same thing. “I came here with the intention of not staying in this league. Although I love playing in Carolina my aim is always to play in a higher league. I hope to make an impact because I want to play in MLS.”

Etienne Barbara has been named the NASL player of the month. The physical Maltese forward from the Carolina RailHawks is tied for the league scoring lead with four markers, and has victimized both Canadian NASL teams in the first month of the season.

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.