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Fire hopes to pile more misery on TFC

Apr 20, 2012 - 9:02 PM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Toronto FC's quest for its first win continues on Saturday at BMO Field against the Chicago Fire as Aron Winter's team aims to avoid moving closer to the worst start in league history.

TFC's 0-5-0 record to open the campaign is tied for the third worst in MLS history, with only D.C. United in 2001 (0-6-0) and the 1999 Kansas City Wizards (0-7-0) owning worse marks.

Last time out was Toronto's best chance at claiming points as the club lost a 1-0 contest to Chivas USA despite generating just about all of the good scoring chances.

Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy came up big to keep Toronto off the scoreboard, and although the early results have been disappointing, Winter is in a defiant mood ahead of the match.

"We're not surrendering," he said. "I'm a winner, I'm going to win also even at this moment where it is a difficult situation, five games, zero points.

"The fans I can understand don't like it and they're going to be upset or whatever. But you have to be honest the team is making progression. Playing well, creating chances."

Chances were created against Chivas but until the club starts converting a few more of them, wins will be difficult to come by.

Toronto has scored two goals in its first five games, but the Fire hasn't fared much better this campaign, netting three goals in four matches.

The numbers may not be there but midfielder Logan Pause was encouraged by his team's performance against the Houston Dynamo last time out, a game that ended in a 1-1 draw after 65 minutes because of poor weather conditions.

"Tonight you could see how well guys were moving and the simplicity of getting the ball on the attacking half," Pause said. "It allowed guys like Saba (Grazzini) and Marco (Pappa) to be creative, and defending you saw everyone working extra hard at home and really competing. There were times in the first couple of games where guys would get frustrated with the how things were going or whatever, and I think today we were a lot more patient as a group."

Chicago may feel like its push to win the game last weekend was cut short, but the team can at least welcome back an old face to the side in striker Chris Rolfe, who returned to the club from Danish side Aalborg just before the close of the primary transfer window.

The addition of Rolfe can only help the sputtering Chicago attack with Rolfe having scored 36 goals and assisted on 18 more in 123 league appearances for the Fire during his first stint from 2005-09.