By JOSE M. ROMERO
The Houston Dynamo was in the driver's seat at halftime, leading 1-0 over the Columbus Crew with a man advantage after Emmanuel Ekpo was sent off for popping the Dynamo's Adam Moffat in the face with a high elbow in the 11th minute.
The Dynamo, leading at halftime after Je-Vaughn Watson's impressive header off a service from Jermaine Taylor in the 34th minute -- over big defender Chad Marshall, no less -- was 45 minutes from picking up three big road points and strengthening their position in the chase for an MLS playoff wild card spot. But two penalties on Houston in the box gave the Crew the lead in the second half, and the Dynamo had to fight back with a late goal just to salvage a point in Wednesday's 2-2 draw at Crew Stadium.
Andres Mendoza converted two PKs and got into some minor scuffles with Dynamo defender-slash-enforcer Geoff Cameron, who assisted on the tying goal for Calen Carr in the 86th minute.
Watson missed a good chance to give the Dynamo a 2-0 lead in the 54th minute, his header off a pass from Corey Ashe missing wide right of the goal.
In the 63rd minute, Houston's Cam Weaver appeared to get his right forearm on a ball in the box inadvertently, and referee Chris Penso pointed to the spot. Mendoza coolly beat goalkeeper Tally Hall with the shot to tie it at 1.
Both teams traded good chances, for the Dynamo a shot by Ashe off the side of the net in the 70th minute and Tommy Heinemann's 73rd-minute try saved beautifully by a diving Hall.
Watson, who'd been key to the Dynamo attack, made a key mistake in the 74th minute, bringing his right foot up too high as he lost containment of the Crew's Dilly Duka on the far side as a high cross came over to that end of the box. The kick hit Duka in the sternum, Penso called the penalty and Mendoza stepped up and scored again.
By that time, Cameron had started picking squabbles with Crew players, but the MLS All-Star was never carded or called for a foul. At one point late in the match he appeared to strike the Crew's Danny O'Rourke in the face with an open-handed shove.
The Dynamo kept attacking, and Cameron made a huge play in the 86th minute. He took two defendersi into the corner before sending in a low diagonal cross that Carr hit in for the goal.
Columbus (11-10-7), the current East leaders with 41 points, replaced Marshall at halftime with an apparent injury. Houston (8-9-12, 36 points) was without forward Brian Ching due to a groin injury.
