The Vancouver Whitecaps have moved three points clear at the top of the Western Conference after playing out a 2-2 draw with the Columbus Crew.

Carl Robinson's side dominated possession for much of the early stages, but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock with a fine move on the counter midway through the first half.

Ethan Finlay collected the ball from Kamara on the break before returning a pass to the striker, who kept his composure to finish emphatically.

However, the Whitecaps were back on level terms when Columbus failed to defend a throw-in, which allowed Octavio Rivero to score his fifth of the season.

Kamara helped himself to his second of the evening five minutes into the second half when David Ousted's poor goal kick was collected by Justin Meram, who teed up the striker to restore the lead.

Kekuta Manneh made the impact from the bench to set up his side's second equaliser as he sprinted past a couple of challenges in the box before pulling the ball back to give Darren Mattocks the easy task of finishing from close range.

Mattocks came agonisingly close to his second goal moments later when he rattled the post after confusion in the Columbus defence.

Vancouver piled on the pressure late on as they went in search of a winner, with Mattocks sending an effort wide after being picked out by Pedro Morales, but Columbus held on to clinch a point.