Given the troubles which plagued the Chicago Fire defensively throughout the 2014 Major League Soccer season, starting off the 2015 preseason with three straight clean sheets is just what the doctor ordered. They confirmed those three straight clean sheets on Sunday when they opened up the 2015 Simple Invitational, hosted by the Portland Timbers, with a 0-0 draw against Stabaek IF.

In spite of the solid defensive work shown, the Fire will be disappointed that they didn't score given that all three of their new Designated Player signings started together for the first time. New strikers David Accam and Kennedy Igboananike started together up front with midfielder Shaun Maloney also deployed in an attacking midfield position, providing Fire fans with a look at what formation this team will play on a regular basis.

The formation looked like a cross between a 4-4-2 and a 4-2-3-1, with Igboananike all the way up top and Accam flanking him on the left. For fans and pundits alike, these offseason signings have left many questions as to how this team will set up and we have truly been given a look at how this edition of the Fire will play.

Those three players created several a scoring opportunity, although none of them played for the entire match. Most of that creativity came in the second half, after a largely abject display from both sides colored the opening 45 minutes.

"For whatever reason we were a little flat in the first half," Chicago Fire manager Frank Yallop said. "In two other games we played I thought we moved the ball more sharply and crisply. Obviously we hung in there, had some chances, didn't concede a goal. But it's the first game of the tournament, we traveled, I trained them hard, actually, the last five days. They looked a little bit leggy and a little bit slow going into this match and it showed."

However, there were chances for both sides in the opening period. The first shot on goal from either team came in the 21st minute, when 2014 MLS Rookie of the Year Finalist Harry Shipp had a hit that forced Stabaek shot stopper Mande Sayouba into a quality save. Meanwhile, the Norwegian side's best chance of the first half came in the 43rd minute, when Birger Solberg Meling had a shot cleared off the line by Fire defender Adailton.

Chicago came as close as it would get to opening the scoring in the 69th minute, when a trio of shots, one each from Maloney, Razvan Cocis and Quincy Amarikwa were blocked by Stabaek defenders. The end result is one which is familiar to Fire fans, but they will all likely be ok with one in preseason, especially given the fact that they kept a clean sheet.

The Chicago Fire will open their MLS season on March 6th against the LA Galaxy.