TORONTO - Joao Plata showed confidence beyond his years Saturday in helping Toronto FC snap out of an ugly slump.

The diminutive striker scored once from the penalty spot, set up another goal and was the most dangerous player on the field in his Major League Soccer debut as Toronto snapped a six-game winless drought by beating the Houston Dynamo 2-1.

After Toronto forward Nick Soolsma was taken down in the Houston area by Canadian international Andre Hainault, Plata stepped up to the spot in the 50th minute and cooly deposited a shot into the top left corner past a helpless Tally Hall.

The 19-year-old Ecuadorian with lightning quick feet celebrated with his teammates in front of the 20,259 in attendance at BMO Field before running to the Toronto bench and having a word with the man who handed him his first MLS start.

"Before the game I said that if I scored a goal I was going to dedicate it to (Toronto FC coach Aron Winter) in response to the confidence he's had with me and the trust," Plata said through an interpreter. "I was very happy."

After the penalty was called, Plata grabbed the ball and stoically awaited his chance.

"Plata has done very well. I was also very happy he made the penalty," Winter said. "You have to be careful with those players, because he's still young. It's a very tough league."

Plata turned playmaker in the 81st minute, sending a through ball to second-half substitute Maicon Santos, who slotted home past Hall.

Houston got one back in the 87th minute from Lovel Palmer and pressed for the tie late, but it wasn't enough as Toronto (2-3-4) finally got back in the MLS win column.

Plata, who was given a rousing ovation when he was subbed off in second-half-stoppage time, thought he'd won a second penalty in the 61st minute.

The five-foot-two waterbug took a ball over the top and moved in on Hall, who appeared to bring down the Toronto striker. Referee Jorge Gonzalez initially pointed to the spot and gave Hall a yellow card. But after conferring with the linesman, Gonzalez reversed the call and awarded Houston a free kick.

"That was a strange decision because he saw it well. He said it was a penalty but the linesman saw something different," Winter said. "It was strange. For me, it was a penalty."

Houston pushed back after Plata's goal, with Cam Weaver moving in on Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the 56th minute, only to be closed down by the Reds' defence.

Plata tried his luck from outside the 18-yard box in the 69th minute, but Hall easily stopped his low drive.

Houston (3-3-3) tested Frei again in the 74th, but after initially spilling a shot from Geoff Cameron, the Toronto 'keeper collected before the ball ran out for a corner.

Winter, a former Dutch international trying to institute a "Total Football" style of play at Toronto FC that preaches fluid movement, said he was starting to see signs the system is taking shape.

"If you keep playing the game well and keep patience, you're going to get the moments because not only did we score two times, we created a lot of opportunities to score more," added Winter, whose team was spanked 3-0 by Seattle last weekend.

"We played well like a team today. I'm satisfied, not only with the team spirit, but how we played."

But it looked early on as if Toronto's goal scoring troubles in the league would continue. Coming into Saturday, the Reds had scored just three goals in MLS play since trading captain Dwayne De Rosario to New York two games into the season.

After a first half with little offensive flair, Toronto came out with more vigour in first minute after the break. Plata played a through ball to Jacob Peterson, who saw his low shot stopped by an outstretched Hall.

Neither team looked eager to attack in the first half with passes failing to connect on both sides and Houston clogging up the middle of the park.

One bright spot was Toronto midfielder Julian de Guzman, who looked fully fit and came closest to opening the scoring in the 11th minute. After some clever play from Plata down the left side, the ball came to de Guzman, who sizzled a shot from 35 yards out that Hall could only push over the bar.

"I'm definitely beginning to feel more confident, more strong," said de Guzman, who struggled with a knee injury early in the season. "(But) I still have to do the extra work that's needed."

Notes: Toronto FC defeated Edmonton 1-0 in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship on Wednesday to take the two-legged, total goals series 4-0 and clinch a spot in the final against the Vancouver Whitecaps. That two-game aggregate series gets underway May 18 at Empire Field in Vancouver, with the return leg May 25 at BMO Field. ... Toronto FC's next game is Wednesday on the road against FC Dallas. ... Houston visits Real Salt Lake on May 14. ... Hainault, a native of Montreal has one goal in 17 appearances for Canada. ... Toronto defender Richard Eckersley started his first MLS game. He picked up a yellow card late in the second half.