Toronto FC 1, Real Salt Lake 0

TORONTO (AP)

Joao Plata scored the lone goal and Toronto FC picked up its first league win in more than a month with a 1-0 victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.

Plata scored with just under 15 minutes left when the Ecuadorean striker put in a low shot that Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando watched go by him into the left corner.

Toronto's last win was a 1-0 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps at the end of June. The victory comes after four straight losses followed by a pair of draws.

Toronto (4-11-11) had a pair of good chances for an early lead in the first half. Danny Koevermans' shot from outside the 18-yard box rolled just wide 6 minutes into the match.

That was followed up just a minute later when Plata crossed to an unmarked Peri Marosevic, whose shot was palmed away by Rimando.

Torsten Frings, playing in an unfamiliar position at the center of Toronto's defense, nearly contributed to a Salt Lake (10-6-6) goal 30 minutes into the match when he made a tackle on Fabian Espindola but failed to clear the ball.

Espindola found the ball with him alone on goal, but his shot went off the crossbar and out.

Milos Kocic, filling in for Stefan Frei in the Toronto net, was solid as Salt Lake pressed late for an equalizer. He preserved the win with a diving save off a hard volley from Salt Lake midfielder Will Johnson.