TORONTO — A lapse of concentration and some poor finishing cost Toronto FC in a 1-1 tie with the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night.

On the plus side, Toronto managed a point with a makeshift lineup that featured perhaps just four starters due to injuries and a crowded schedule.

Jordan Morris' 61st-minute goal cancelled out a strike by Jordan Hamilton seconds earlier, with Toronto coach Greg Vanney unsuccessfully yelling at his players to refocus after going ahead.

As for the finishing, both teams had 12 shots but only three on goal. Toronto could have been up 3-0 at the half against a slumping Seattle team that had lost its last two league games and five of its last six.

"Certainly on the day I think Toronto was the better team," said Seattle coach Sigi Schmid.

"I agree," Vanney said when apprised of Schmid's assessment.

Toronto (5-6-5) was without captain Michael Bradley (knee), Jozy Altidore (hamstring), Will Johnson (leg), Clint Irwin (quad), Daniel Lovitz (knee), Ashtone Morgan (foot) and Josh Williams (suspended).

Saturday's game was Toronto's fifth in 15 days, prompting Vanney to give 35-year-old midfielder Benoit Cheyrou and 32-year-old centre back Drew Moor a rest by starting them on the bench. Jonathan Osorio was also on the bench.

"I couldn't be more proud of the group and the depth and the effort they've put forth, especially over the last 15 days," Vanney said. "They won a trophy (the Voyageurs Cup) on Wednesday and turned around and busted their butts today and were the better side and just didn't execute enough in the key area to take all three points."

Seattle (5-9-2) almost won it in the 87th minute when Morris' raking cross came within inches of bouncing in. But defender Mark Bloom, making his first start after missing all of last season through injury, got a piece of his body on the ball to deflect it away.

Toronto, which had most of the scoring chances on the night, will likely rue the lapse of concentration that led to the tying goal before 26,750 on a beautiful evening at BMO Field.

The home side went ahead in the 60th minute when a deft pass from Tsubasa Endoh to Sebastian Giovinco split the defence. The Italian's shot was stopped by goalkeeper Stefan Frei but the ball bounced to an unmarked Hamilton, who stroked a left-footed shot home.

But seconds after Hamilton emerged from his celebrations with the south side fans, Seattle left back Joevin Jones' long ball found Morris. The Sounders rookie striker turned away from the Toronto defence and curled a shot past Alex Bono in the 61st minute for his sixth of the season.

Morris' goal, only the Sounders' 14th of the season, ended a 248-minute Seattle scoring drought dating back to a 2-0 win at D.C. United on June 1.

Neither team had managed a shot on target prior to the flurry on goal. Toronto had the best of the first half but could not take advantage.

While Giovinco played a key part in Toronto's goal, the Italian has been stuck on eight goals for six league matches.

"I have to do better for the next game and for the future," he said through an interpreter.

Despite dramatic midweek wins in cup competitions, the two teams came into the game badly in need of a league win.

Toronto has won just two of its last nine MLS games (2-4-3) dating back to May 1.

Seattle is 1-5-1 in its last seven games, a stretch that saw the Sounders shut out four times. Seattle is also 1-5-2 on the road and has only scored seven goals away from home.

Starting in a 3-5-2 formation, Toronto had three gilt-edged scoring chances midway though the first half, with a Hamilton shot blocked and a Jay Chapman header flying wide before Giovinco shot over the bar after a nifty backheel setup by Hamilton.

Endoh, colliding with Hamilton, shot wide late in the half after Giovinco skillfully scooped the ball over the defence.

Seattle veterans Clint Dempsey and Brad Evans did not make the trip. Schmid said Evans was nursing a calf strain while Dempsey was being rested after Copa America.

Both teams were coming off adrenalin-fuelled performances.

The Sounders dispatched Real Salt Lake via a penalty shootout Tuesday to advance to the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open Cup. The next night, Johnson's stoppage-time goal in Vancouver was enough to earn Toronto the Voyageurs Cup on the away goals rule in the Amway Canadian Championship final.

TFC last beat Seattle at BMO Field on April 25, 2010. The Sounders came into the game having won six of their last seven matches against Toronto.

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