Danny Dichio scored the first goal in franchise history, and Kevin Goldthwaite and Maurice Edu added second-half markers as Toronto FC earned its first victory on Saturday, a 3-1 triumph over the Chicago Fire.

"It was a great moment for me and a great moment for the franchise," Goldthwaite told CBC after his first career Major League Soccer goal early in the second half stood up as the game winner at BMO Field in Toronto.

Toronto FC's Andy Welsh, left, congratulates Kevin Goldthwaite after he scored the game-winning goal against the Chicago Fire during the second half Saturday afternoon at BMO Field.
(Canadian Press/ Adrian Wyld)

Edson Buddle had a pair of assists for Toronto, which had begun its inaugural MLS season with four straight losses in which it was outscored 10-0.

"The odds were in their favour that they were going to score goals and win a game, and it happened today — unfortunately for us," Fire coach Dave Sarachan said.

Andrea Lombardo, who made his MLS debut as a second-half substitute for Buddle, assisted on Edu's goal.

Lombardo, a 19-year-old Torontonian, had also been in action on Friday night at BMO field, where the Canadian Under-20 team fell 2-1 in a friendly with Argentina.

Chris Rolfe had the lone Chicago goal, but missed the second half with an apparent foot or ankle injury.

Toronto's first goal was a neat one. Buddle chased down a loose ball to the right of the goal crease and sent a cross to Dichio, who banged it past goalkeeper Matt Pickens in the 24th minute.

The historic play drew a thunderous ovation — not to mention a showering of giveaway seat cushions — from the boisterous Toronto supporters. But some shoddy defensive work by the home side quieted the crowd at the 36-minute mark.

Off a corner kick, Toronto failed to clear the ball out of harm's way, allowing Rolfe to blast a shot from the top of the penalty area that went off a defender and beat keeper Greg Sutton high and to his right.

Toronto was dealt another blow minutes before halftime, when a scuffle between Dichio and Pickens led to the Toronto striker being ejected from the match along with Chicago midfielder Diego Gutierrez.

Forced to go on without the dynamic Dichio, Toronto pressed the action early in the second half, and was rewarded when Goldthwaite took a feed from Buddle in the penalty area and rolled a shot just inside the right post.

Edu sealed the match in the 75th minute, taking Lombardo's pass from the side of the net and chipping it over Pickens.

"I said when we get the first goal, they're going to come in numbers. Today we got three," Edu said.

Chicago's second-half collapse was aided by the absence of Rolfe, who is tied for the league lead with four goals.

Toronto winger Ronnie O'Brien, who missed the first four games with a knee injury, made his debut Saturday. Striker Alecko Eskandarian, who is nursing a sore calf, dressed for the game but did not play.

Commemorative white seat cushions, provided free as part of what was dubbed the stadium's official opening weekend, doubled as Frisbees as fans tossed them out of the stands.

"It was impressive," Sarachan said. "It was very passionate, very loud … They were a 12th man for that group today. It was a great atmosphere."

Toronto FC's next match is Wednesday, when they'll take on the Houston Dynamo at BMO Field.

With files from the Associated Press