And, if injuries during the fall-season break keep mounting, Miller may need even more reinforcements. The Eddies are now sweating on the health of forward Tomi Ameobi, midfielder Ritchie Jones and keeper Lance Parker.

“It was absolutely fantastic,” said Miller. “They (Indy) deserve a great deal of credit. They have set a new standard for this league, just like the Seattle Sounders set a new standard for MLS when they came into the league.”

It was a battle of FC Edmonton’s rotated squad against a Fort Lauderdale Strikers team that didn’t get to the Alberta capital till 2 a.m. Saturday morning.

Now, whether you love or hate the NASL’s decision to create a spring season in which each of the 10 teams plays a nine-game schedule — with one of the top two playoff, er, “Championship” seeds going to the league champ — there’s no doubt it brought a sense of immediacy to the opening weekend.

The Eddies created more scoring chances, and were the better side based on style points. But a missed penalty and another effort that caromed off the post punctuated a night of missed opportunities.

“I spent time with San Jose Earthquakes last summer and they wanted me to come back for their preseason,” said Jones after an FC Edmonton training session at Commonwealth Fieldhouse. “But, since I talked to Colin, I felt Edmonton was the right place for me.”