No Canadian team — club or national side — will ever have as easy a time of a match in Central America as Toronto FC did Tuesday night in its 3-0 win over El Salvador’s CD Aguila in CONCACAF Champions League action.

"If you want to give teams a two-goal stand then carry on, but we’re not that good. We were the architects of our own downfall, playing ridiculous balls in the wrong area of the field. I thought we eradicated that, but obviously some of the lads that have been in the squad haven’t been listening."

"How many teams in MLS can have five starters out and put on a performance like that?" Mariner asked. "When you ask players to come in after months of layoffs… if you factor those things in, with Portland having most of their guns firing and us coming out with 2-2, I'm reasonably happy with what's going on."

With just 5,324 fans in attendance at BMO Field and no TV broadcaster airing the game, Toronto FC's performance in its CONCACAF Champions League opener against CD Aguila could well become an urban legend.

Despite picking up three points the Reds did suffer a big loss with Danny Koevermans injuring his left knee late in the first half and had to be stretchered off the field. The injury looked serious and it would be a huge blow to the Reds if the Dutch striker is out for any extended length of time. Koevermans has had a deadly strike rate in MLS having scored 17 goals in just 25 matches since joining Toronto midway through last season.

With Paul Mariner taking the reins from Aron Winter, beginning the next chapter of Toronto FC's history, the end result was still a familiar one for the Reds. Poor play at the start of the match and bad luck on the offensive end played a big part of a 2-0 road loss to Sporting Kansas City.

The streak is over. Toronto FC finally got on the board for the 2012 MLS campaign, winning a 1-0 result over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at BMO Field that ended the Reds' record stretch of nine consecutive losses to begin the season.

Eckersley is a classic example of the type of athlete who is popular in Toronto. A journeyman kinda guy who works exceptionally hard. He fits the archetype of a Dan Gargan, John McDonald, Matt Bonner, James Reimer — working-class guys who blow up in a Toronto market that eats superstars alive but worships the depth-chart players.

"We can still make something out of the season because we play Champions League now," said forward Danny Koevermans. "The club needed this. The fans needed this. Everybody needed this."

“We have nothing,” Koevermans said. “We’re just the worst team in the world at the moment, and our hope only we can get a point or win in the league. I’ve already said the words frustrating, horrible, horrendous, atrocious. It’s done.”