Fire get first win, show signs of improvement

It's one thing to hope the Chicago Fire is an improved team, it's another thing to see evidence.

The Fire found reason to believe not only in Saturday's 1-0 victory against the Philadelphia Union at Toyota Park but in how it closed out the win.

"It means a lot for me and for this locker room who works very hard. Winning this game gave us more confidence now and we believe that we are on a good path," first-year coach Veljko Paunovic said after his first MLS win. "...It's always very, very important to have proof, and that proof is results, winning games."

A year ago the Fire (1-1-2, 5 points) would have found a way to squander a 1-0 second-half lead, even with a man advantage and the wind at its back. Not this time, and that's a very good sign.

So is a second shutout in four games. After giving up 4 goals in the season opener, the Fire has allowed just 1 in the three games since.

"This year is very different for us because we have a new coach, new leaders, everything is new," midfielder Kennedy Igboananike, who scored the goal, said. "I just don't want to talk about last year because it's in the past. We have to focus on this year. Whatever happened last year we're just going to correct it this year."

It's a sentiment midfielder Michael Stephens echoed.

"For us that were here last year, it obviously crosses your mind," the Naperville native said. "I mean, they did have chances. They were just lumping some balls into our box and the wind made it difficult to clear some of those balls. It definitely crossed my mind, like, oh, (shoot), let's not have that happen again. But we were good. We bent throughout the game but we never broke and gave up that goal. Another clean sheet and our first 3 points, which is awesome."

On a cold, blustery day, the Fire caught the break it needed in the 47th minute when Philadelphia's Warren Creavalle was red-carded for a tackle on Fire midfielder Razvan Cocis. Four minutes later, Igboananike took a pass from left back Michael Harrington in the Union penalty area, turned and scored his second goal of the season.

"I think if you look in general, even last game when we had the 0-0 draw (vs. Columbus), defensively we were pretty tough," Stephens added. "We're stronger in our own 18 as far as winning challenges and clearing balls out, just being a little grittier. Now we just need to clean up some of the other things as far as being a little smarter when we go up a man, doing better as far as keeping the ball and also adding to our lead there. We should get a second goal there and kill that game."

The Fire still has a long way to go to become a playoff-caliber team, even in the weak Eastern Conference, but at least there's a glimmer of hope.

Follow Orrin on Twitter @Orrin_Schwarz