2:2 New York Toronto Luyindula Wright-Phillips Defoe Gilberto 06.27.14 · League

As everyone knows, we're engrossed in the World Cup. Watching game after game, rooting for USA... and also for Tim Cahill. How could we not? To have one of our own go to the biggest tournament in the world and return after scoring two brilliant goals? Will he return tonight, we wondered...

And return he did, and oh did we need him. No, Cahill didn't start, but his late-game appearance was the difference maker that helped Metro escape with a last-second draw, 2:2. But let's begin at the beginning.

The three-week league break saw Jamison Olave and Titi Henry return to the starting lineup. Peguy Luyindula was pushed back to midfield at the expense of Bobby Convey. Olave marshaled youngsters on defense: Matt Miazga continued to start, as Armando was benched, and Ambroise Oyongo made his first league appearance on the left side.

Early on, Metro looked like a team not yet waken from a long slumber, as Toronto attacked at will. Luis Robles was pressed into service early and often, but help firm long enough for his team to take a surprising lead. In the 36th minute, completely against a run of play, Henry swung a clever pass to Oyongo, who fooled his defender, and sent a cross into the box. There, Luyindula's dreadlocked head swiftly redirected it into the upper right corner. 1:0 Metro, but it didn't look that it would hold.

And hold it did not. In the 55th minute, Oyongo left Dominic Oduro with all kind of room, and the Metro reject sent a pass into the box. There it was brilliantly redirected by Jermaine Defoe, and the game was tied. Then, in the 72nd, Toronto's previously useless Designated Player Gilberto rifled a free kick under the cross bar and into the net. Metro was down 2:1, and it looked like a third straight home loss -- with a third straight blown lead was looming.

And then, the hero entered the game. Cahill entered with 12 minutes left, and immediately made his presence shown. Winning every air ball, he got onto to the end of a tough cross that went on net, but was saved. Then, three minutes into injury time, a long Miazga kick found the head of the Australian. Cahill redirected it towards Bradley Wright-Phillips, who expertly put it in the net for his league-leading 12th tally.

So the World Cup is back tomorrow, and we will once again turn our attention to that. And while it was nice to see Metro -- and Cahill -- return, we can't help but fear the current situation. We're halfway through the season; this team is clearly flawed. Something has to be done to right the ship.

At least we got Tim Cahill...

Lineup: Robles, Oyongo, Miazga, Olave, Duvall, Sekagya, Alexander, Luyindula, Sam, Wright-Phillips, Henry. Subs: Steele, Cahill, Convey.