Ottawa Fury fullback/winger Eddie Edward has taken over the lead, after playing in two games over the course of the week.

The Eddies saluted Sunday’s awful, blustery weather by giving goals away like it was Christmas, losing 2-0 to Miami FC. Dario Cvitanich and Vincenzo Rennella got the goals, but each were presented what amounted to open-net tap-ins thanks to critical errors from the home side.

Miami FC was the team that spoiled FC Edmonton’s attempt to win the NASL’s spring-season title.

“I think a lot of players see two sides to it,” said Ledgerwood, who is back in Edmonton. “He’s definitely put in three years of hard work and built a foundation with the guys. I think the guys, internally, see great strides going forward with the national team and I think that’s a big thing. All of us got on the same page and bought into the philosophy that he wanted to bring to Canadian soccer. On the other side of it, do you wreck that foundation that he’s built and bring in somebody else and give them the chance to build something up?”

The NASL has concluded its investigation into Puerto Rico FC midfielder Chris Nurse's claim that FC Edmonton's Nico Di Biase uttered a racial slur in Spanish during an Aug. 28 game at Clarke Field.

For the first time in NASL play, the Eddies put out a starting XI that didn’t feature any Canadians. Now, there were mitigating circumstances. Due to international call-ups, both Shamit Shome (Canada U-20) and Nik Ledgerwood (who played in Canada’s 2-1 loss to Honduras on Friday) weren’t available for the 2-2 draw against the Ottawa Fury.

The Fury’s 2-0 lead evaporated thanks to two goals from Eddies’ forward Daryl Fordyce — and it took a last-second goal-line clearance from Ottawa’s Rafael Alves to preserve the 2-2 tie.

“It’s a real positive in one aspect of it, because we’re now such a good standard of league that we’re attracting international football players,” said Miller. “But, at what point does the international call-up affect the standard of the league?

But it’s time to ask this of you, Edmonton — and, more specifically, of Edmonton’s soccer community. What do the Eddies have to do to make you love them? Clearly, winning isn’t enough.

The Vancouver Whitecaps made club history Saturday night. Coach Carl Robinson named four Canadians to the starting lineup for the match in Carson, Calif. against the Los Angeles Galaxy. David Edgar, Marcel de Jong, Russell Teibert and Fraser Aird all were in the starting XI for the 0-0 draw.