Bridgeview, IL (My Sportsbook) - Guillermo Barros Schelotto scored two goals in the second half, the second on a questionable penalty kick, as the Columbus Crew rallied from a two-goal deficit to draw the Chicago Fire 2-2 on Sunday at Toyota Park.

Schelotto, who scored 10 goals in his first 13 games this year, scored for the first time since June 14. The reigning MLS MVP has been slowed by injuries for the past three months, but started his second straight match against the Fire.

Columbus (11-4-10) maintained a three-point lead over Chicago (10-6-10) in the Eastern Conference. Peter Lowry scored both goals for the Fire.

Chicago got off to a perfect start against Columbus when Lowry opened the game with his second goal of the season in the sixth minute. Brandon Prideaux drove the ball in from the right edge of the area and, after Brian McBride settled the ball down, Lowry drilled the ball inside the left post from 16 yards.

The Fire nearly doubled the lead in the 27th when Cuauhtemoc Blanco picked out McBride in the middle of the box but the former U.S. international forward was off target to the left on his open header.

Lowry took advantage of Chicago's next chance when a Columbus defender failed to clear the ball out of danger and, as the ball rolled just inside the top of the area, he raced in to hammer in his second goal of the game in the 35th.

Columbus cut the deficit in half 10 minutes into the second half when Robbbie Rogers did well to keep the ball in bounds on the left, drove toward the box, and then picked out Schelotto on the far post. The Argentine headed inside the right post from just a few yards out to snap his long scoreless streak.

Chicago settled back in after allowing the goal, but had the win snatched away in the 78th. Fire defender C.J. Brown won a header in the box to clear, but as he jumped was run into by Columbus' Alejandro Moreno, and a penalty was given.

The Fire argued the controversial call, but Schelotto drilled the penalty kick almost directly down the middle and, although Chicago goalie Jon Busch got his hands on the ball, he couldn't keep it out.

Chicago substitute Patrick Nyarko had two chances to hand Chicago a deserved win in the closing minutes, but fired high on a bicycle kick from just a few yards out in the 88th and mis-hit an open shot in stoppage time.

Chicago will continue chasing Columbus on Sept. 26, when it hosts Toronto FC, and Columbus hosts the Los Angeles Galaxy.