“I knew it was always going to take a miracle for us to make the playoffs,” said FCE coach Colin Miller after the match. “I would rather focus on the team’s performance tonight. I am very pleased with the effort, and hopefully we can carry that momentum into Wednesday’s game.”

The pit that the Eddies dug for themselves was simply too deep from which to escape, and Dustin Corea’s headed effort could only serve as a consolation in a 2-1 loss.

Even the rally rabbit couldn’t save FC Edmonton, this time. Down 1-0 to North Carolina FC early in the first half of Sunday’s NASL match at Clarke Field, the Eddies had their good luck charm run onto the field; a grey rabbit interrupted the match. Now, history tells us that whenever the rabbit is seen, good things happen for the …

But, the Eddies kept creating scoring chances in the second half. And, a funny thing happened. The ball started going in. Dustin Corea’s brace bookended Albert Watson’s barely-crossed-the-line effort, and the Eddies got a 3-1 win.

So, to kick off the fall season Sunday and welcome back all-time FCE leading scorer Daryl Fordyce into the fold, Eddies coach Colin Miller instructed his team to play in a 4-1-3-2 formation, bringing numbers to the front and hoping to coax more goals out of an offence that finished dead last in scoring in the spring season.

But, on Saturday night, referee Daniel Radford just got it plain wrong. To call a hand-ball in the box, you need to have an essential ingredient: The ball has to make contact with the arm or hand of the offending player.

Miller said the team has already signed a replacement at left back, a player he said has been a captain of his European side.

The Eddies are set to fill their open international roster spot, as Argentine midfielder Nicolas Di Biase trained with the team Friday.

The Eddies have completed the paperwork when it comes to signing these two players, and the Canadian Soccer Association has done its part. But the Eddies need the Spanish FA to sign off on Fisk — who most recently played in Spain — and the Portuguese federation to green-light Galvao’s move.