If Toronto FC learned anything from its CONCACAF Champions League debut, it's the importance of getting off to a quick start.

A goal in the third minute propelled the Reds to a shocking 2-1 win over Mexican side Cruz Azul last week, as the Reds earned a valuable three points in the continental competition.

Martin Saric's early goal was a major shot in the arm for Toronto, giving the team the confidence to attack and pressure heavily favoured Cruz Azul to great effect en route to an historic victory.

TFC will try to get off to another fast start when it plays it second game of the CONCACAF Champions League group stage on Tuesday night against Panama's Arabe Unido.

What's at stake? The CONCACAF Champions League is a 16-team competition featuring the best clubs from North and Central America and the Caribbean. Toronto FC is in a first-round group with reigning MLS champions Real Salt Lake, Panamanian side Arabe Unido and Mexico's Cruz Azul. TFC will play all three teams at home and away for a total of six games. The top two teams in each of the four round-robin groups move on to the quarter-finals. The quarter-finals, semifinals and final are contested over two legs. The eventual winner of the 2010 CONCACAF Champions League advances to the 2011 FIFA World Club Cup, which is contested between the champions from all six continental soccer confederations. FC Barcelona defeated Argentina's Estudiantes de la Plata in the final of last year's FIFA World Club Cup final. Mexico's Atlante finished fourth after winning the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League.

"Certainly, we expect a tough game here in Panama City," TFC coach Preki told the team’s official website. "They’re a hard team to play here and we understand that we have to be on our toes from the first moment."

TFC currently sits in a tie for first place in Group A with Real Salt Lake with three points, ahead of winless Arabe Unido and Cruz Azul. The Mexican outfits hosts Real Salt Lake on Wednesday.

The Reds stunned a lot of critics when they upset Cruz Azul, runners-up in this tournament the past two years, last week at BMO Field.

Mexican teams have dominated the Champions League as of late, winning the last five tournaments. On the other hand, Major League Soccer clubs have failed to make an impression — the L.A. Galaxy was the last MLS outfit to win the competition in 2000.

TFC is eager to make its mark in the Champions League and equal the success of the Montreal Impact, who reached the quarter-finals two years ago.

It would be foolish to think the Reds are a lock to make it to the group stage after just one game, but the victory over Cruz Azul does give Toronto a boost of confidence as it competes in this tournament.

'Very good for MLS'

"Obviously, one game doesn’t make everything but at the end of the day if you can go far in this tournament, it’s very good for your club, it’s very good for MLS," TFC general manager Mo Johnston told the club’s official website.

Following Toronto’s 4-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls on the weekend, Preki told reporters in the post-match news conference that veteran forward Mista might not make the trip to Panama because of "health issues."

But the Spaniard was on the team's plane when it left Toronto Sunday, and he could see action against Arabe Unido.

One player Toronto will be without, however, is Jacob Peterson. The speedy midfielder was hit with an automatic one-game suspension after picking up his second yellow card of the competition last week against Cruz Azul.

Arabe Unido will also be missing defenders Nahil Carroll and Andres Santamaria through suspension after they were sent off in last week's 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake.

Toronto returns to MLS action on Saturday when it hosts Real Salt Lake. Its next Champions League match is also against the MLS champions, on Sept. 15 in Utah.