TORONTO - It took two days to play but the result was the same for FC Dallas -- a 1-0 win over Toronto FC in a weather-delayed CONCACAF Champions League game.

Defender Jack Stewart's header in first-half injury time Thursday morning proved to be the official decider in a somewhat lacklustre conclusion to a game that took some 16 hours to wrap up.

The first attempt was called off at 11:25 p.m. ET Wednesday after lightning forced fans out of rain-drenched BMO Field. Dallas was leading 1-0 at the time but the score was wiped out and the contest started anew under sunshine at 10:15 a.m.

The replay had the feel of a practice, with the few fans on hand sitting in one section of the stadium.

After surviving a late first-half penalty, Toronto looked to be heading to the dressing room at 0-0 after a tight 45 minutes. But a lapse in coverage allowed Stewart to score on a glancing header, converting a cross from Ugo Ihemelu.

The goal followed a penalty miss in the 45th minute.

Dallas captain Daniel Hernandez's shot hit the post after Richard Eckersley brought down Marvin Chavez in the box. Chavez had taken advantage of lax Toronto defending, cruising through Ty Harden and Danleigh Borman.

Toronto pushed hard for an equalizer as the second half clock counted down.

Goalie Kevin Hartman preserved the win with a close-range stop on former Dallas player Peri Marosevic in the 78th minute. And French midfielder Leandre Griffit, making his Toronto debut as a second-half substitute, shot just wide minutes later.

Eckersley was sent off in the 90th minute for a second yellow card.

The top two teams in each of the four Champions League groups advance to the knockout round. The other two teams in Group C are Mexico's Pumas UNAM and Panama's Tauro FC.

The win improved Dallas' record to 2-0-0 while Toronto slipped to 1-1-0.

On Wednesday night, FC Dallas led 1-0 thanks to an 18th-minute goal from Brazilian defender Jackson during a weather-disrupted first half. The second half never started as the lakefront venue was lashed by rain, with thunder and lightning overhead.

The doors were open to all-comers free of charge Thursday, although they had to pay admission to the Canadian National Exhibition grounds with the annual fair going on.

The first fans didn't trickle into the stadium until 10:05 since the Ex gates opened at 10 a.m. They were funnelled into the east stand and the count was in the low hundreds when the players came out.

Even the PA announcer was out of his comfort zone, announcing the officials for "tonight's game."

Goalie Milos Kocic was the first Toronto player to take the field for Thursday's warmup -- at 9:30 a.m. just 10 hours after the original game had been called off. On the plus side, he was greeted by bright sunshine rather than a tropical storm.

The 23-degree heat had some of the substitutes hiding their heads under towels.

Toronto made two changes overnight with Gianluca Zavarise and Matt Stinson coming in for Terry Dunfield and Andy Iro.

Captain Torsten Frings dropped back to play in a three-man backline.

Stewart started for Andrew Jacobsen in a makeshift Dallas defence that has been laid bare by the loss of George John (a pending move to Blackburn Rovers) and Zach Lloyd (hamstring).

Marosevic had a good chance in the 14th when he was sent in by Ryan Johnson after an errant Dallas pass. But a lunging Dallas defender got a foot to the ball, deflecting Marosevic's shot high.

Frings then played disrupter at the other end, stopping a similar Dallas attack.

Joao Plata had a chance in the 38th after Zavarise pounced on a Dallas miscue but Hartman was up to the challenge.

Plata headed the ball high minutes later after a wonderful Frings pass found Marosevic open down the flank.

It's the second time bad weather has affected a Toronto game this season. The second leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship final between Toronto and Vancouver was abandoned May 25 due to lightning and rain. The game was replayed in June.

Dallas (12-7-7) came into the game 20 points ahead of Toronto (4-12-11) in the league standings but had only collected one point in its last three MLS games.