A late header from former Fulham skipper Brian McBride proved the catalyst for Chicago Fire to take a point from an absorbing contest with Colombus Crew tonight.
The Fire did what San Jose managed against them last week and came back from two goals down to snatch a last-gasp draw. Chad Marshall put the home side in front heading in a free kick from Guillermo Barros Schelotto for his first goal of the season. Eleven minutes before the break and Colombus were two goals to the good. Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch made an ill-advised charge from his line to try and reach a through ball from former QPR defender Gino Padula but Jaime Moreno got there first, rounded the keeper and finished impressively despite the best efforts of Wilman Conde to block the shot.
Chicago might have taken some encouragement from the sending off of Pandula early in the second half after the full back struck out at Cuauhtemoc Blanco. They piled the pressure on the Crew goal and found their reward in the 86th minute. Patrick Nyarko drifted out to the left and sent over an inviting cross which McBride, who spent eight happy years with Colombus, converted emphatically with his head.
The comeback was complete just two minutes later. After a messy goalmouth scramble, the ball came to Gonzalo Segares, who hit a curling left-footed shot that gave the goalkeeper little chance. The draw perserves Chicago’s unbeaten record in the MLS this season.
