Substitute Joao Plata offered some instant offence Wednesday night as Toronto FC defeated Real Esteli of Nicaragua 2-1 in CONCACAF Champions League preliminary-round play.

Plata scored in the 56th minute, just seven minutes after entering the game. Toronto FC had dominated play but failed to make that edge count until the five-foot-three teenager from Ecuador came on the scene.

Plata then bent in a glorious free kick from 25 yards out in the 72nd minute.

But substitute Alesando Calero pulled back a valuable away goal in the 80th minute after a handling error from 'keeper Milos Kocic to the right of his post gave the Esteli player a free shot at an unguarded goal.

The scoreline did not reflect a game that was controlled by the home side.

Toronto visits Esteli's Estadio Independencia next Tuesday in the second leg of the series.

It was one-way traffic in the first half with the home side having 66 per cent of the possession. But Toronto failed to finish, putting just two shots on target, despite Nick Soolsma and Ryan Johnson ripping open the Esteli defence.

Esteli, meanwhile, sat back and looked to counter.

Plata's slashing runs began to stretch the Esteli backline and the little man opened the scoring by scooting inside two defenders deep in the box -- after tracking down an errant clearance -- and then poking the ball in from close range.

Ashtone Morgan almost added to the score in the 66th minute when his long cross from the left flank forced goalie Carlos Mendieta to tip the ball over.

Toronto dominated play early on with three clear headers in the first 10 minutes. Johnson sent one straight at Mendieta and another off target, as did Danny Koevermans with his chance.

Johnson played a more central role, in the hole behind Koevermans, and looked lively.

Esteli's first chance came in the 16th minute but Franklin Lopez' shot was way off target. A minute later captain Elmer Mejia also fired wide.

When they had the ball, the Esteli players often went down at the lightest touch -- much to the ire of the sparse crowd of 9,241 at BMO Field.

Toronto was just waiting for the right delivery, with five players waiting for service in the Esteli penalty box at one point midway through the first half.

Johnson got it in the 35th, on a nice cross from Soolsma, and his header forced Mendieta to palm the ball over the crossbar.

Soolsma went wide in the 43rd minute.

Toronto coach Aron Winter opted for a lineup that featured new additions and some local youth.

There were starts for four Canadians: 18-year-old Doneil Henry and 20-year-old Morgan in defence and 18-year-old Matt Stinson and 24-year-old Gianluca Zavarise in midfield.

Kocic also saw his first action in goal, with Stefan Frei given a breather. Frei had played every minute of every game prior to Wednesday.

Newcomers Andy Iro, Torsten Frings, Johnson and Koevermans retained their place in the lineup for the third straight game since joining the club.

Frings wore the captain's armband for the first time in the absence of Maicon Santos, who did not dress, and Frei.

Frings, who has 79 German caps to his credit, has been de facto captain on the field since he signed on.

Toronto (3-11-9 in MLS play) has lost four straight in the league since defeating Vancouver 2-1 on July 2 in Nutrilite Canadian Championship play.

Wednesday's game was the third in a week for Toronto FC, who face three more over the next 10 days with trips to Portland and Nicaragua on the itinerary. The scheduling logjam followed 11 days off earlier in the month.

The winner of the CONCACAF home-and-away series moves into the group stage of the tournament, joining Mexico's Pumas, Panama's Tauro and either FC Dallas or El Salvador's Alianza in Group C.

Toronto reached the group stage last year but failed to advance to the knockout round.

This marks Nicaragua's first appearance in the competition since 2008-09 when Esteli was beaten by the Montre