Toronto FC's Dwayne DeRosario (centre) fires a shot on the Philadelphia Union goal Thursday. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)

As far as victories go, this one was especially sweet for Toronto FC.

The Reds rebounded from losses in their opening two contests of the Major League Soccer season to earn a 2-1 victory over the expansion Philadelphia Union Thursday night in their first home game of the campaign.

Despite the Union playing a man down for the majority of the match, Toronto found it difficult to create quality scoring chances. Captain Dwayne de Rosario supplied all the offence, scoring a fluke goal in the first half and converting from the penalty spot with nine minutes left in regulation.

Still, Toronto was full value for the victory, and it was nice to see the breaks fall their way for a change.

TFC has garnered a legendary reputation as choke artists by conceding late goals in countless games over the past three seasons. But this time it was the Reds who came up with the late heroics, giving the 21,978 fans who packed BMO Field something to cheer about.

“It’s huge. It’s a confidence booster,” de Rosario said of his late, winning goal. “Every guy can leave this locker-room with a smile on his face.”

After conceding four times in the space of 19 minutes during Saturday’s humiliating 4-1 loss to the New England Revolution, fans were calling for Preki to make defensive adjustments, and the TFC coach duly obliged.

Under-fire veteran Nick Garcia and rookie Nane Joseph, both culpable of making horrendous mistakes that led directly to goals by the Revolution, did not make the starting line-up. Garcia was relegated to the bench and Joseph did not dress. Russian Maksim Usanov and Canadian Adrian Cann started in their place, making their respective team debuts.

Although disappointed with how his team played in the first 45 minutes, Preki felt his team turned it around in the second half and said he was pleased with the final result.

“Overall, it was important for us to get three points because we have a lot of new guys and for them to get some confidence going forward,” the coach said.

Philadelphia looked more dangerous from the opening kickoff, but the game turned in TFC’s favour in the 34th minute when Union captain Danny Califf elbowed Julian de Guzman in the head. As Califf was the last man back, he was given his marching orders.

De Rosario scored from the ensuing free kick, his low shot from 20 yards out slipping through the hands of Philly goalkeeper Chris Seitz, who should have made the easy save.

The Reds’ momentum was short-lived. Thanks to some slack Toronto defending and lovely build-up play by Philadelphia, Roger Torres crossed an inch-perfect pass into the box for Jordan Harvey who took the ball in stride and slotted it past TFC goalkeeper Stefan Frei right before halftime.

“I thought [the defence] fell asleep on the goal, but it’s not just because the back line didn’t react. All over the field we were soft on the goal. They passed around us very easily and we were just ball-watching,” Preki explained.

Looking to make the most of his team’s man advantage, Preki substituted off Usanov and midfielder Martin Saric for forwards Chad Barrett and O’Brian White at the start of the second half. Jacob Peterson, another off-season signing, also made his team debut early in the half.

“I thought both [O’Brian] and Chad and Jacob came in and they gave us something [extra]. All three of them are mobile and fast,” Preki said. “O’Brian was very lively, way better than his performance in New England.”

Barrett should have scored minutes after coming on, but he couldn’t convert on a beautiful cross from de Guzman, flashing his header wide of the post.

TFC would not be denied, though, and White burst into the Philadelphia box in the 80th minute where he was taken down by Seitz. Referee Baldomero Toledo pointed to the spot, and De Rosario blasted his penalty shot past Seitz to notch his third goal of the season.

De Rosario should have completed his hat trick in injury time, but he slammed his close-range shot off the crossbar.

Prior to the game Toronto FC paid tribute to former captain Jim Brennan, who announced his retirement last week, by enshrining him as the first player into the Wall of Honour at BMO Field. Wednesday’s match also marked the first time TFC played on the newly installed, freshly manicured grass surface at BMO Field.

Toronto’s next game is Sunday, on the road against the Colorado Rapids.