A draw, yes, but Gallese's best for Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire | OneFootball

Orlando City SC had the players, the strategy, and the desire. But they got another draw!

The unbeaten streak stretches to eight games for Orlando City SC. They’ve gained a fifth straight shutout. Yet, everyone’s frustrated.

The tension comes that in their previous match against Atlanta United FC, the Lions returned to scoring. They had assembled a string of 0-0 draws, then beat the opponents 3-0. Now, against the Chicago Fire FC, the result once more is 0-0.

It looked like the tide would turn when a straight red card went to Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady in the 36th minute. He took down forward Duncan McGuire in the penalty area. After several minutes, Jeffrey Gal took over as netminder, and midfielder Jonathan Bamba left the pitch, putting the Fire down a player.

With an entire half at a man advantage, the Fire’s backup netminder Gal’s backline did extremely well. He finished the final 50 minutes, only facing one shot on target. The Lions got through to take only two shots on goal for the match.

Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese had to make eight saves. Two of the saves came in the 10th minute, with Gallese diving to stop a shot by Philip Zinckernagel, then punching away a putback from Hugo Cuypers. By the scouts, it was his greatest performance of the season.

Gallese said that the Lions opened up their formation after the Fire went down a player.

Chicago responded by turning up their defense. Yet they still found chances to keep shooting at the Lions’ net, making eight of their 17 attempts on target. Although Orlando took 23 shots, they got only two on goal – one on target for each of Chicago’s two goalkeepers.

While the Chicago Fire FC backline and netminders had much to say about it, Orlando City SC will focus its drills this week. They need to turn on more of their offense and get it on target.