Toronto FC impressed in its home debut on Saturday afternoon, but the fledgling Major League Soccer franchise remains winless and goalless in four matches.

Eddie Johnson scored in the 81st minute as the visiting Kansas City Wizards defeated Toronto 1-0 before a boisterous crowd of 20,148 at BMO Field.

Nick Garcia kicks the ball in front of Toronto FC rookie Maurice Edu (6).
(Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

"Our fans were magnificent," Toronto coach Mo Johnston said. "For the first time in a long time, I had goose-bumps at a game.

"I felt they were wonderful. But obviously, I feel really bad sending them home losing 1-0."

"Toronto is going to win a lot of games here," Johnson said. "It was tough to play here."

Johnson gained control of the ball to the left of Toronto goalkeeper Greg Sutton, cut back past a defender and blasted a shot inside the left post for his third goal of the season.

Johnson's shot caromed off the left leg of Toronto captain Jim Brennan and just beyond the reach of Sutton, who was superb in defeat.

"The guys were overwhelmed when we came out," Brennan said. "We did not think it was going to be this good.

"The fans were so supportive. We're just disappointed that we didn't get a result for them today."

"I thought we played really well, the best we played all year," Toronto striker Alecko Eskandarian told CBC Sports.

"We showed a lot of heart and grit. Sometimes, the best team doesn't win."

Toronto opened its inaugural MLS season with three straight road losses, including a 3-0 setback at Kansas City on Wednesday.

"A totally different team than Wednesday," Johnson said of Toronto. "They came out with a lot of enthusiasm, and showed a lot of character."

Authentic atmosphere

Toronto's expansion entry has been blanked by a combined score of 10-0 in its first four matches.

But given the authentic soccer atmosphere at Toronto's $62.9-million stadium, MLS commissioner Don Garber called the league's initial foray into Canada a success.

"It is a knowledgeable audience here … they're into the game," Garber said. "We don't have too many stadiums that rock like this one."

"It even exceeded what I thought," Eskandarian said. "They were chanting and singing all game and it really gave us a boost."

Both Sutton, a Montreal native, and Wizards keeper Kevin Hartman, were active throughout the match.

Danny Dichio, formerly of Preston North, sorted out his visa problems in time to make his MLS debut for Toronto, and combined well up front with Eskandarian.

"Very good, very physical, very quick," Dichio said of the MLS brand of soccer. 

"This is like an English game. The crowd is right behind us.

"It's like that old saying, they're like an extra man. We want them to suck the ball in the back of the net for us."

Early chance for Edu

Toronto rookie Maurice Edu narrowly missed notching the first goal in franchise history as he fired wide early on.

Johnson threatened midway through the first half when he burst by a defender and in alone on Sutton, who raced out of the net to cut the angle and make the save.

Minutes later, Dichio eluded two Wizards and centred to the top of the box for Eskandarian, whose low left-footer was handled by a diving Hartman.

"We had them on the rack and we just could not get the ball over the line," Johnston said.

Eskandarian later set up Toronto's best chance to open the scoring as he threaded a pass between two defenders to Andy Welsh, whose shot was blocked. 

The ball bounced outside the box to Kevin Goldthwaite, but his hard drive was smothered by Hartman. 

"We're creating chances," Eskandarian said. "We just got to keep plugging away and just keep shooting."

Kansas City threatened late in the half as Johnson nearly broke free from three defenders, only to be foiled from behind by a sliding Brennan.

Toronto held the territorial advantage for most of the first half and kept pressing in the second, forcing Hartman out of his net to intercept Welsh's long cross intended for Dichio.

At the other end, Sutton slid aggressively to his left to force Ryan Pore to the outside and shoot wide of the net at roughly the 60-minute mark.

Johnson caught Sutton wandering five minutes later, but Goldthwaite scrambled back in time to block the shot and keep it 0-0.

Of note, the Wizards lost midfielder Carlos Marinelli in the 16th minutes with a strained left hamstring.

With files from Sports Network