GALAXY TONIGHT

at Chicago, 6, ESPN2

Site -- Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Ill.

Radio -- 1150, 1330 (Spanish)

Records -- Galaxy 7-10-8; Fire 11-9-5

Record vs. Fire -- 0-1-0

Update -- The league’s most explosive offense takes on the league’s stingiest defense tonight with a lot at stake. The Galaxy, scoring a league-best 1.96 goals a game, needs to win to stay in playoff contention. The Fire, giving up a league-best 0.96 goals a game, has slumped lately, dropping four of its last six, and is coming off a 4-1 loss to FC Dallas. “Now we’re in a dogfight,” goalkeeper Jon Busch said of Chicago’s attempt to hold onto third place and an automatic playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Galaxy is coming off a 5-2 rout of D.C. United in which the league’s top scorer, Landon Donovan, had a hat trick. That ended a 12-game winless streak.

-- Grahame L. Jones