TORONTO - Striker Kendall Jagdeosingh scored with a dramatic spinning shot and the Puerto Rico Islanders defeated Toronto FC 1-0 in the first game of their CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round series Wednesday night at BMO Field.

Jagdeosingh turned 270 degrees standing near the line to the right of the goal after chasing a long searching Jonathan Steele free kick in the 67th minute.

"I loved getting a birds eye view of the strike from the press box. It was a clinical finish a great shot into the roof of the net - but that's how strikers earn their living and they are expected to make shots like that," Puerto Rico manager Colin Clarke said.

Toronto had the lion's share of chances in the match, but Puerto Rico goalkeeper Bill Guadette repeatedly thwarted the host before a crowd of 20,759.

The two teams began cautiously with a defensive posture, resulting in only two clear chances in the opening 45 minutes.

In the 20th minute, Puerto Rico nearly capitalized on a Toronto FC defensive miscue as Steele stripped Toronto midfielder Pablo Vitti of the ball near the midfield circle. Steele rushed toward goal and played a through ball to Jagdeosingh, but his shot hit the side of goal.

Toronto had its chance six minutes later when Chad Barrett sent a dangerous cross into the penalty area, but Dwayne De Rosario's leaping header went just wide of the Islanders net.

Physical play compensated for the dearth of chances, and although there were no cautions handed out tempers nearly flared on several occasions.

Midway through the first half, Toronto defender Jim Brennan knocked Puerto Rico midfielder Sandi Gbandi into the fourth official's area with a shoulder charge, and three minutes before halftime Toronto striker Ali Gerba tangled with Gaudette, knocking him to the ground.

The second half opened with Ali Gerba thumping a shot wide in the 46th minute and then failing to convert a Sam Cronin cross in the 54th minute, forcing Gaudette to push the ball wide of his right post.

In the 60th minute, Toronto defender Marvell Wynne played a through pass to midfielder Sam Cronin, who ripped a hard bending shot just wide of the Puerto Rico goal.

With time expiring, Toronto pushed for an equalizer in the closing minutes.

Gaudette thwarted Brennan in the 89th from short range and the Puerto Rico keeper, who led the Islanders into the Champions League semifinals last season, then denied Danny Dichio, who was free after a cross from Cronin and pass from De Rosario.

Toronto was missing Honduran international Amado Guevara (bruised ribs) and defender Nana Attakora (hamstring), while defender Adrian Serioux (knee) was deemed fit ahead of the match but started the game on the bench.

"It was just dissappointing to be at home and see that many chances not get converted," Toronto manager Chris Cummins said. "Then if you give set peices away to a team like this - as with Jagdeosingh's goal - it is going to cost you and it certainly did tonight. We can stil win this tie though and there a some great goal scorers on this team so we definately aren't ready to give up."

Clarke watched the match from press box, forced off the to serve the first of his two-game suspension after his ejection from the title match of the CFU Club Champions Cup in May. Puerto Rico assistant coach Adrian Whitbread was his replacement.

"I am delighted with the result, it was a good performance for us on the road in the opening game of this tournament but we are only half-way through this and still have a second leg to play next week," Clarke said.

Wednesday's match against Toronto marked the ninth consecutive road game for the Islanders, including Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps which took nearly four hours to complete due to severe weather.

The two teams will travel to Puerto Rico for the second leg of the series on August 4.