Colorado share lead in the West after Montreal draw

(Reuters) - The visiting Colorado Rapids moved into a three-way tie for top spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference after they twice battled back for a 2-2 draw with Didier Drogba's Montreal Impact on Saturday. Rapids (5-2-2) defender Bobby Burling scored in the 73rd minute from close range off a header from Axel Sjoberg to tie up the game for good and extend Colorado's unbeaten run to four games after three wins and a draw. Former Chelsea striker Drogba curved a free kick from outside the box in ninth minute to open the scoring, but Colorado's Shkelzen Gashi converted a cross from Mekeil Williams in the 47th minute. Maxim Tissot restored Montreal’s one-goal lead with a long-range strike in the 50th minute. "Twice we were down and our team showed big character," Gashi said. "We know what we can do and everyone wants to do what they can for the team. I believe in this team. We worked hard and we were rewarded." The Rapids now are tied for first in the West along with FC Dallas (5-3-2) and Real Salt Lake (5-1-2). The Impact (4-3-2) remained top of the Eastern Conference. Elsewhere, Steven Mendoza scored in the 73rd minute in a 3-2 win for New York City FC (2-3-4) against the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps (3-5-2). Seattle Sounders (3-4-1) rookie striker Jordan Morris found a loose ball in close in the 88th minute in a 1-0 victory at home to the Columbus Crew (2-4-2). Carlos Rivas scored in the 90th minute to earn a 2-2 draw for visiting Orlando City (2-2-4) against the New England Revolution (1-2-7). Simon Dawkins of the San Jose Earthquakes (4-2-3) scored in the 83rd minute for a 1-1 draw on the road against the Philadelphia Union (4-3-1). Patrick Nyarko scored an equalizer the equalizer in the 64th minute to give D.C. United (2-3-4) a 1-1 draw at the Chicago Fire (1-2-4). Jordan Allen and Yura Movsisyan scored eight minutes apart midway through the second-half in Real Salt Lake’s 2-1 comeback win over the Houston Dynamo (1-5-2). (Reporting by Tim Wharnsby, editing by Nick Mulvenney)