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VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Winless in Major League Soccer since September, Toronto FC is tough to beat everywhere else.
The three-time defending Canadian champion took the next-to-last step to a fourth title Wednesday, holding the host Vancouver Whitecaps to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the finals.
Despite allowing a goal by Eric Hassli in the first minute of second-half injury time, Toronto will return to BMO Field next Wednesday for the last leg with an away goal and the home-field advantage.
Toronto is unbeaten in 12 matches in the Amway Canadian Championship and has won six out of the last seven at home, with a 0-0 draw against the then second-division Vancouver in 2010 the only blemish.
"A draw 1-1 away from home is a good result, but I think we had the opportunity to make the second goal…to decide the game and we were not clever enough at that moment to make it 2-0 and in the end the game ended 1-1," Toronto manager Aron Winter said. "But still you are satisfied, but you want more."
Toronto - which has lost eight straight to start the MLS season and has not won since beating the Colorado Rapids on September 17 -- is seeking not only a fourth Canadian title, but a fourth straight berth in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Its only victories in competitive matches since the win over Colorado were against Dallas and Tauro FC in the Group Stage of the Champions League to qualify for the quarterfinals, over the LA Galaxy in the knockout round and against Montreal in the semifinals of the Canadian championship.
Ryan Johnson gave Toronto the lead in the 66th minute, heading in Julian de Guzman's cross, and Danny Koevermans almost doubled the lead in the 84th, but Vancouver keeper Joe Cannon was able to make a vital save.
But Hassli struck a right-footed volley from 10 meters off the cross from Alain Rochat and gave Vancouver hope heading into next week's second leg in Toronto.
Vancouver has won three of six games away from home in all competitions this year, against Chivas USA and Columbus in MLS and FC Edmonton in the semifinals of the Canadian championship.
Both teams are hoping to avoid the problems that plagued the second leg of last year's finals when the two faced off. The game - first played on May 25 -- was abandoned in the 60th minute because of lightning with Vancouver leading 1-0.
When the game was replayed in its entirety on July 2, Toronto won 2-1 to claim the title.
