By John F. Molinaro, CBCSports.ca

TORONTO – Toronto FC's desperate search for a goal continues.

Toronto FC's Todd Dunivant, right, challenges Chivas USA's Lawson Vaughn during the first half of Saturday's match at BMO Field in Toronto.
(Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Coach Mo Johnston's team dropped a 2-0 decision to Chivas USA Saturday afternoon at BMO Field to extend its winless streak to seven straight games (four losses and three draws).

Having now gone 552 consecutive minutes without a goal, Toronto is just six minutes short of breaking the Major League Soccer record for scoring futility set by Real Salt Lake in 2005.

The expansion franchise's last goal came on July 7 in a 1-1 draw against the Chicago Fire. Toronto's last win was against Salt Lake on July 4.

The fact that Toronto is on the verge of establishing a dubious record doesn't weigh on the mind of Johnston.

"Records [like that] don't matter that much to me," the Scot told reporters after the game.

Welsh midfielder Carl Robinson is philosophical about Toronto's scoring drought.

"Soccer never ceases to amaze me. You have your highs and you have your lows and at the moment, we're stuck at a low point, but in the long run we'll benefit from this because it'll make you stronger and you'll appreciate the good times more," Robinson said.

Defender and captain Jim Brennan, who has played every minute of every contest this season for Toronto, played another complete game Saturday even though he has two fractured ribs and a broken wrist.

Coming off an embarrassing 3-0 loss to the Red Bulls in New York last week, Toronto displayed great determination, putting the well-organized Chivas defence under pressure from the opening kickoff.

Toronto winger Andy Welsh, who has come under sharp criticism lately over his listless form, was a live wire down the right wing. The Scot was the architect behind the best scoring chance of the first half, making a probing run down the flank and chipping a perfect pass into the box to Andrea Lombardo, who just headed it over the crossbar in the 39th minute.

Forwards Danny Dichio (hip flexor) and Jeff Cunningham (adductor), and defender Marvell Wynne (hamstring) all saw action for Toronto as substitutes in the second half after missing several games due to injuries.

Toronto had several good chances

Johnston was pleased with the performances of his ailing stars.

"Marvell was flying up and down the wing, Dichio was challenging for every ball, and Cunningham was just being the menace that he normally is," the coach said.

Toronto had a great chance to take the lead on a breakaway in the 56th minute, but Carl Robinson made an errant pass and Chivas quickly launched a counter-attack off the turnover that led to the first goal of the game.

Jesse Marsch fed teammate Maykel Galindo a perfect pass up the middle and the Chivas forward went on a darting run before blasting a shot past goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos for his team-leading eighth goal of the season.

Cunningham and Wynne nearly combined to level the score for Toronto in the 75th minute. Cunningham fought off a defender inside the box and slipped a pass on the right to a charging Wynne, but the defender's powerful shot was parried by Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzen.

Chivas put the game away in the 88th minute with another perfectly executed counter-attack, ending with Sacha Kljestan converting a two-on-one breakaway.

Toronto and Chivas last met on April 4 in Los Angeles, with Toronto suffering a 2-0 defeat in the franchise's inaugural match.

Toronto's next game is Aug. 25 against DC United at home.