Then, it all changed on what looked to be an innocuous play. Minnesota fullback Justin Davis got into the penalty are with the ball, and looked to have run himself into a corner; he wasn’t facing goal and he didn’t have a shooting angle. At best, he could hope to turn and pop a cross to the centre of the area. But FC Edmonton substitute Michael Nonni elected to dive in. Even though Nonni got all ball with the tackle, Davis went down and referee Geoff Gamble pointed to the spot.

“I want to apologize for the performance today,” said Fordyce, who scored the Eddies’ lone goal, a 93rd-minute consolation, in a 2-1 loss to Minnesota United FC.

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.

MUFC has been the most disappointing team in NASL. It finished second from bottom in the spring-season standings, even though they were the pundits’ pick for the title. Now, the goal is to resurrect the club in the fall season.

For FC Edmonton, a spring season of frustration, a season of missed chances, a season of games that should have been wins turning into draws, was punctuated by a game where everything went right.

Hlavaty will be in the state of Minnesota, playing for the first time against his old team. But it won’t be all familiar — since Hlavaty left the Minnesota Stars and signed with FC Edmonton as a free agent late in 2012, his old team changed its name to Minnesota United FC and went to a sky-blue home kit.

But, as we get ready for this weekend’s kickoff to the NASL spring season, the Rowdies and MUFC are the clear favourites to top the table.

Etienne Barbara was freed of his commitment to join FC Edmonton — and now the 2011 NASL MVP will join the rival Minnesota Stars.

The Vancouver Whitecaps made a move today that may catch the attention of more than a few NASL front offices.

As has been widely expected, the San Antonio Scorpions striker was named the NASL’s Golden Ball winner Wednesday.