FRISCO, Texas - Joao Plata scored two second-half goals and Danny Koevermans scored in the first half as Toronto FC defeated FC Dallas 3-0 Tuesday to advance to the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League.
Toronto also played some determined defence when needed in the Group C match played before a sparse crowd at Pizza Hut Park.
Toronto finished with 10 points from three victories and a draw in six games in the group.
It is the first time Toronto has reached the tournament's knockout stage.
The victory helped ease the disappointment of a fifth straight season without making the Major League Soccer playoffs.
Dallas, which is bound for the MLS playoffs, had defeated Toronto three times this season previously, once in the Champions League.
Dallas and Toronto entered their sixth and final Champions League Group C match with tied for second with seven points each. Pumas of Mexico led with eight points and Tauro of Panama had five.
Koevermans put Toronto ahead in the 29th minute. Julian de Guzman passed to Plata who got the ball in front to Koevermans. The Dutch striker scored with his left foot from the centre of the box.
It was the first goal Toronto scored against Dallas in four games this season. Dallas won each of the three previous meetings 1-0.
Toronto tried to add to the lead just past the hour mark when Ashtone Morgan picked up the ball on Dallas turnover and fed Plata, whose shot was handled by Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
Finally they had success in the 69th minute when Plata made a deft back heel pass to Ryan Johnson who returned the ball to Plata in the middle of the box. Plata made no mistake with his right-footed shot.
Plata then put the game out of reach when he put in a right-footed shot from outside the box into the bottom right corner.
Dallas had trouble sustaining any pressure on Toronto. They did come close in the 73rd minute when Jackson Goncalves headed the ball over the goal after a corner.
Koevermans was a presence early in the game when he forced a save from Hartman with his header in the 15th minute.
Dallas had a good chance in the 21st minute when Jackson headed just wide to the right after Break Shea's cross.
About 15 minutes later,Toronto goalkeeper Milos Kocic came out aggressively to pick off a high diagonal pass from Shea intended for Jackson.
The Toronto defence withstood a dangerous Dallas free kick from the edge of the penalty area in the 43rd minute after defender Andy Iro picked up a yellow card for his foul on Marvin Chavez.
Nick Soolsma picked up Toronto's second yellow card in the 58th minute, while de Guzman also picked up a yellow in the 76th. Terry Dunfield replaced de Guzman soon after.
Notes: TFC midfielder Matt Stinson did not play because of yellow card accumulation. ...Richard Eckersley did not play because of a strained hamstring and Doneil Henry started at right back. ... FC Dallas were defender Jair Benitez and forward Fabian Castillo because of red cards picked up in the 5-3 loss to Tauro on Sept. 28 in a Group C match. ...Dallas made a substitute to start the second half with Daniel Cruz replacing Ricardo Villar who picked up an injury in the first half.
