in the 72nd minute Jovan Kirovski hit a rasping drive from outside the area that crashed off the crossbar, and in stoppage time Jacob Peterson's header clinked off the outside of the post.
At Crew Stadium, the Crew saw their three-game winning streak come to an end in a scoreless draw at Colorado on July 4, while Real Salt Lake were unable to build on their lone win on the campaign, falling 2-1 at home to Toronto FC on Independence Day.
The Crew finally turned complete control of the match into goals in the 75th minute. Andy Herron tried to round Ritchie Kotschau on the right, but when the two tangled and Herron went to ground, referee Alex Prus whistled for the penalty kick. Guillermo Barros Schelotto converted from the spot for his second goal with Columbus.
The teams went 165 minutes against each other this year before seeing a goal scored, but they had to wait just five for a second. Alejandro Moreno was able to put in a cross from the left and Eddie Gaven reached behind him to pick Moreno's cross out of the air with his left foot, sending a one-hop shot just inside the left post.
At Toyota Park, the Fire had won just once since the start of May, losing for the seventh time in 10 matches in a 2-0 loss at Los Angeles on the Fourth of July, while TFC won for the first time ever on their travels on Wednesday, claiming a 2-1 win at Real Salt Lake.
The Fire had been shut out in back-to-back games and five of their previous seven, but finally found the back of the net in the 70th minute, after Chad Barrett was bundled over by Tyrone Marshall in the area. Barrett stepped up to take his own penalty, sending the 'keeper the other way for his fourth goal of the year.
But the two No. 1 overall picks the last two years in the MLS SuperDraft teamed up for the tying goal in the 78th minute. Racing into the area, Maurice Edu received a lofted 35-yard pass from Marvell Wynne, near the midfield stripe. Edu brought it down with his chest before stabbing it past Matt Pickens from about at the penalty spot for his third goal of the season.
At Gillette Stadium, the Revolution came off a full week's rest, their last match the 2-0 loss at Chivas USA the weekend before. In between, Chivas began their road trip with a 2-0 loss at FC Dallas.
The visitors got off to a dream start. Alex Zotinca put in a corner from the right, and Claudio Suarez knifed in for a clear header that bounced high into the goal for a fifth-minute lead.
Chivas had their chances to add to their lead but couldn't do so, and the Revolution hit for the equalizer in the 64th minute. Ralston put in a corner from the right and Andy Dorman swung his leg to side-volley home his career-best sixth goal on the season. It was the 114th assist of Ralston's league career, tying him with former Tampa Bay Mutiny teammate Carlos Valderrama for the all-time MLS lead.
At The Home Depot Center, the Galaxy had won two of their last three after their 2-0 win on July 4 against Chicago, looking to put together back-to-back wins for the first time on the season. The Wizards were winless in their last five games, having scored just one goal in their last three after a 1-0 loss to D.C. United on the Fourth.
The Wizards had been creating loads of chances without scoring, but they were the grateful recipients of a couple of misplays to score twice in the opening six minutes of the second half. In the 47th minute, Jack Jewsbury swung in a cross from the right and it slipped past clearance attempts from a couple of defenders. Substitute Yura Movsisyan trapped the ball, cut back and fired home a low shot.
Then four minutes later, a cross came in from the left, and left back Ante Jazic tried to head the ball to 'keeper Joe Cannon. But Cannon could only parry the back pass into the air, and Davy Arnaud snuck it to head home the rebound into the empty net to double the Kansas City lead.
But the Galaxy started their fightback in the 61st minute. Carlos Pavon, making his first Galaxy start, fired a low shot from the left that caromed off the inside of the post and back out. But Cobi Jones came in to side-foot home the rebound.
Then a quarter-hour later Jones hit for his second. Landon Donovan claimed a cleared corner on the right and drove a low cross to the near post where Jones was racing in to tuck it into the corner and pull the home side level. It was the first multiple-goal game for the MLS original since Aug. 10, 2002.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
