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Schwarz: Change the Fire needs is on the scoreboard

The Chicago Fire made all sorts of changes in the off-season, but so far it's not the kind of change fans can believe in.

The team lost its home opener 1-0 Saturday to Vancouver, the second time it has been shut out in as many games this season.

Considering the last five seasons have yielded just one playoff game, the Fire (0-2-0, 0 points) still has a lot to prove. This isn't the way to do it.

Not only is the team scoreless in 180 minutes of regular-season action, it scored just 3 goals in five preseason games, only one of those goals by a player on this roster. Saturday they managed 4 shots on goal.

That's not exactly the attacking, entertaining soccer that coach and director of soccer Frank Yallop promised after turning over half the roster from the end of last year's ninth-place season.

"We tried to do the right things, I felt," Yallop said. "We had good moments in the game where another day we could score and then get going in our game.

"I think for a first (home) game we weren't terrible. We weren't great. Performance-wise, maybe 6 out of 10. But obviously we didn't win the game, and that's what we're here to do."

Like Yallop, the players are taking the long view - two games down, 32 to go, plenty of time.

"I think we desperately need a win, but I think we also have the personalities that no matter what happens we're going to keep cool," said second-year midfielder Harry Shipp. " … It's frustrating coming off last year, but we have to realize it's only two games out of 34."

But fans want to see results. They want to see proof this team can contend before they'll invest too much of their hearts, their time and their money. Attendance was announced at 15,731, but that looked optimistic.

"It's on us to attract fans," Shipp said. "You start winning games, they'll come. That's our goal, and that's what we're trying to work toward the middle-end of this year."

Even the late-game timing of Vancouver's goal suggested more of the same from last season to this. Octavio Rivero scored in the 86th minute when Lovel Palmer's poor clearance fell to Steven Beitashour. Beitashour's pass found Rivero unmarked and with a good chunk of the goal wide open and goalkeeper Jon Busch scrambling to recover.

There are reasons to hope this season can still be different. A new roster needs time to jell. The team has a few injuries, including one to speedy new attacker David Accam, who could return next week at San Jose. Teams can go on long winning streaks in this league.

They're all reasons Fire fans have heard before.

• Follow Orrin on Twitter @Orrin_Schwarz

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