A rusty Toronto FC can thank goalkeeper Stefan Frei for pulling out a draw in their opening game at the Disney Pro Soccer Classic.
Torsten Frings scored in the 63rd minute and Frei made two big late saves as Toronto FC came back twice for a 2-2 tie with USL club Orlando City on Saturday night.
After some scrimmages against college teams earlier in camp, it was TFC's first full game of the pre-season against a pro team and the lack of cohesiveness was evident in their shaky defence and inability to make things happen in the midfield.
"I'm not happy about the way we played," said coach Aron Winter. "We were a little bit lucky, but there were also some good things. We have to work on the bad things and improve it.
"Fitness-wise we're OK, but I think we maybe underestimated the opponent. We have to start working as a team. But in the first game of the pre-season, everyone wants to show themselves. We have more time to do it better."
Frings jumped on a ball in a scramble in front of the Orlando goal and slipped a shot past goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo as TFC earned a point in its opening match of the eight-team tournament.
But breakdowns forced Frei to slide out to grab the ball from Orlando striker Dennis Chin in the 71st minute and he slid again to stop Chin in alone in the 78th.
"He made some good saves, he was one of the better ones," said Winter.
Defender Migeul Aceval scored in the first half for Toronto.
John Rooney, brother of Manchester United star Wayne Rooney, scored on a penalty in the 17th minute and Kevin Molino gave Orlando City a second lead in the 54th.
Toronto had played two of what Winter called "practice games" against college teams, including a 5-1 win over the University of South Florida, but this was their best test yet against a charged-up Orlando, where there is a movement to get an MLS franchise.
A crowd of about 2,000 pounded drums and cheered on the purple-clad locals, who had the better scoring chances in the second half.
TFC lost to Orlando in the third-place game at the tournament last year.
"I don't think we played as good as we should be playing, but then again, it is our first game," said forward Reggie Lambe.
Orlando was awarded a penalty in the 17th minute when defender Geovanny Caicedo tripped forward Maxwell Griffin in the area. Rooney made no mistake with his low blast.
TFC tied it six minutes later when Aceval's free kick ticked off the last man on the Orlando wall and went in.
Charlie Campbell looked well offside as he took a ball over the middle and got it to Molino on the right side for a 2-1 Orlando lead.
Toronto striker Danny Koevermans was replaced by Nick Soolsma early in the first half for what Winter said was a precaution after suffering a hamstring injury.
Orlando City was the champion of the second-tier USL last season.
Toronto will play Swedish club BK Hacken on Tuesday and closes round-robin play Thursday against Dallas, its first MLS opponent of the tournament. The final and consolation games are March 3.
Toronto midfielder Julian de Guzman left camp Saturday to join the Canadian national team in Cyprus for a friendly against Armenia on Wednesday.
The Vancouver Whitecaps meanwhile look for their second win Sunday afternoon against the Houston Dynamo while the expansion Montreal Impact seeks its first win against Sporting Kansas City. Vancouver opened with a 3-0 win over Montreal on Friday while Houston and Kansas City tied 0-0.