Toronto FC capped off a busy stretch of the season on Saturday afternoon, emerging with a point on the road from a 1-1 dust up with NYCFC at Yankee Stadium.

Jesus Medina gave the hosts the lead in the 53rd minute when a wicked free-kick from Gudmundur Thorarinsson handcuffed Alex Bono and the in-form midfielder was on hand to tuck in the rebound. Medina looked to have added a second when the TFC goalkeeper’s up-field delivery caromed off him and bounced into the net in the 70th minute, but the referee ruled it a foul, setting the stage for Jacob Shaffelburg leveller four minutes later.

Playing a third game in a week, impact off the bench was going to be important on the day.

“It's the second game in a row we got really complete performances from our reserves,” said Chris Armas post-match. “All of them, five of five, came on and did a nice job.”

Three of those substitutes – Pat Mullins, Dom Dwyer, and Shaffelburg – combined to create the goal with Mullins playing an aerial one-two with Dwyer before threading a ball down the left-side of the area for Shaffelburg to pounce and slot a left-footer across Sean Johnson in the NYCFC goal.

It was his first in MLS.

“Jacob, he's instant energy,” began Armas. “He's quick. He runs. He likes to press. He brings energy and plays with intensity. He's such a good kid and we are now trying to push the demands every day. Not to be not too nice on the field; how can we help him use his weapon; the confidence. I think every player could use that.”

“When players are confident, it's the only way you can see how good they are,” he continued. “It's so much about confidence, so much about giving opportunity to young guys, and about helping him just calm down and get the reward.”

“Slow down a little bit to make final plays because he gets in a lot of good spots,” Armas emphasized. “He scored the exact goal yesterday in training, some pattern play. We are thrilled for him. He works so hard and the greatest reward for him is a goal. The boys are celebrating in the locker room. It's a big goal for him and the team.”

Said Shaffelburg: “Feels great. Feels like a weight is lifted off my back.”

“I know you're not supposed to do it, but I kept on myself to get a goal and it was getting a bit much,” he smiled. “It was a breath of fresh air getting that weight off my back.”

It was his composure in the heat of the moment that proved the difference.

“Chris has been telling me to take my time, calm down in those situations, so for it to come off and get a goal,” he added. “I was better on the ball than in other games. I was taking my time and just looking for the right pass. I think it was one of my better games.”

TFC captain, Michael Bradley, had a few words and a momento for the 21-year-old attacker.

“After the game, Mike stood up and said congrats on my goal and gave me the match ball. I had to give a little speech – it wasn't my best one,” joked Shaffelburg. “We were just happy to get the point on the road.”

Fellow substitute Dwyer made an instant impact in his debut, throwing himself into the fray and though it may not show on the scoresheet, was instrumental in the equalizer.

“Dwyer comes in and he's mixing up some runs behind, some hold-up play, creates some good pressing moments with some turnovers. He's a handful and he's a winner,” said Armas. “And above all, he’s a scorer. I bet if he got one good look it might have went in. It was good to see him get some minutes, get integrated with the team, and get him going.”

“We all feel like we're getting stronger and we're getting fitter and we're getting more guys healthy. And that you have flexibility,” he continued. “On a day like today when you start Jozy [Altidore] and Ayo [Akinola] you can bring in Pat and Dom, it's really interesting. I'm happy for Dom. Big day for him to get his debut.”

Bono was the first to raise his hand and say he should have done better with the ball that led to NYCFC’s goal.

“Look at the reaction from Omar Gonzalez and a few guys that run over right away and show some support for Alex,” pointed out Armas. “This is part of who that locker room is and our club.”

“You don't harp on things like that. You get on with it,” he continued. “And it's important to be able to shake it off as he did.”

Minutes later Bono would come up huge with a double save from the next set-piece, sacrificing his body in the process.

Toronto now has a week to prepare for their next match: Saturday against Orlando City SC at Exploria Stadium, their shared home for the time being.

Unbeaten in two the club has earned themselves a bit of rest.

“It was a good week,” summed up Armas. “Taking some lumps here and there made us take a hard look at ourselves. We're taking steps forward and we finished the week in a positive way.”

“Not an easy week, short rest today, first game on the weekend, but we showed up today and we played a good team in their building,” he continued. “Still only one point, right. It's not a win, it's not a loss, it's one point, but when you battle back and you go down and things get hard and you stick together and put together a good goal... I was most proud of the way we pushed at the end of the game, to really push for the victory.”

“It shows me that we are together,” said Armas of his team and his staff. “It's time to get a much-needed couple days off. I won't bother them too much in the next couple days.”