Toronto FC plodded to a scoreless draw against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday night, as nearby G20 Summit protests paralysed the city's downtown core and appeared to prevent several thousand fans from attending the game at BMO Field.

Subway shutdowns, altered bus routes and the uncertainty over road closures contributed to the lighter-than usual crowd, as teams renewed the Major League Soccer season following a break for the World Cup. Attendance was announced as 18,809, though it did not reflect the actual number of fans in the stands.

Los Angeles arrived with the best record in the league, but without stars Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle, members of the U.S. team eliminated from the World Cup in a 2-1 loss to Ghana earlier in the day.

The Galaxy tied a league record by opening the season with a 12-game unbeaten streak, a run that placed the team atop the overall MLS standings. Los Angeles entered its game against Toronto with 10 wins in 13 games, having allowed only four goals all year.

Neither team was at its best in the first half on Saturday night, though, after a two-week layoff to accommodate the World Cup.

Toronto and Los Angeles each managed a lone shot on goal in the opening 45 minutes, with the hosts enjoying only marginally better chances.

Toronto midfielder Nick LaBrocca sent a curling shot wide across the face of goal in the 35th minute after a few unsteady touches on the sideline with teammate Jacob Peterson. It was followed minutes later by a speculative drive from captain Dwayne De Rosario, who fired from 30 yards out.

Black smoke hung over BMO field

Toronto coach Predrag (Preki) Radosavljevic shuffled his cards early in the second half, substituting forward Chad Barrett and midfielder Julian de Guzman onto the field. The changes, however, had little effect, and the game ended in a stalemate.

"It was a typical game after three weeks of not playing," Preki said. "I don't think either of the teams was very sharp. It was a tough fight. I thought if anybody made a mistake, that was going to be how the game was decided. But neither team really made any big mistakes."

Some of the most interesting developments unfolded just over the horizon.

Evidence of the nearby G20 Summit hung over the stadium, with a thick plume of black smoke rising from downtown Toronto. There were reports it was from the latest in a string of police cars set ablaze by protesters, and it would have been burning a 20-minute walk from the upscale hotel where the Galaxy had been staying.

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment issued a statement to offer absent ticket holders the chance to attend another game this season. Tickets to that other game will be subject to availability.

"We made a decision to hold this game based on the security information we were receiving and given the location of BMO Field," MLSE executive vice-president Bob Hunter said in the release. "With the Galaxy and officials all in the city, there was never any thought given to cancelling the game."

For the Galaxy, the thoughts after the game drifted toward their teammates at the World Cup. It is not known when Donovan and Buddle will return to action for Los Angeles, which has only lost once in 13 games this season.

"They've had a long, tough World Cup," Mathis said. "Those guys have been on a whirlwind, so it's time to bring those guys back down to earth, a little bit."