The Columbus Crew fought back from two goals down to earn a point in their 2-2 MLS draw with Houston Dynamo at the BBVA Compass Stadium.
The home side should have taken the lead when Omar Cummings did well down the right to cut the ball back to Ricardo Clark inside the box, but, with the goal gaping. the midfielder blasted his effort straight Tyson Wahl.
Houston did take the lead in the 12th minute when pressure from AJ Cochran forced Crew's Aaron Schoenfeld to head into his own net.
Tony Tchani had a golden to bring his side level when he raided through the middle of the Houston defence, but he fired his effort wide of the post when left one-on-one with Tyler Deric.
The Dynamo double their lead when Cummings released the run of Giles Barnes in the inside right channel, and the midfielder showed great composure to lift the ball over Steve Clark and into the net.
In the second half, Columbus responded almost immediately when Will Trapp picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and let fly with a powerful shot that beat Deric and nestled in the bottom corner.
The Crew got their equaliser in the 54th minute as a Waylon Francis cross from the left travelled all the way to the back post, where Ethan Finlay was there to power a header past Deric.
Both sides pressed for a winner and Columbus thought that they had won a penalty late in the game when the referee had adjudged Cochran to have handled the ball in the box.
However, after discussion with his assistant, he overruled his decision and the teams settled for a point apiece.
Simon Sinclair
