Galaxy Still Has Title Strut

Winning a championship usually breeds confidence for a team, and the Galaxy is no different.

That might explain the unwavering optimism in the midst of what has been a long season in which the defending Major League Soccer champion has yet to live up to expectations.

Although L.A. has clinched a playoff spot, its 8-10-8 record entering tonight’s game against the Chicago Fire at Naperville, Ill., has not inspired the sense that another title run awaits.

Is it too late for a turnaround?

“It’s never too late until you’ve played your last game,” Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid said. “Our players believe in themselves and have confidence in their abilities.”

Schmid points to the 2001 season when the Galaxy lost to the San Jose Earthquakes in overtime in the MLS Cup final. That season the team had been 3-0-5 in overtime before that game.

“And San Jose had not won a game in overtime before then,” Schmid said. “That’s the thing about soccer; you just never know.”

The Galaxy is tied with the Kansas City Wizards for third place in the Western Conference. L.A. has lost two MLS games to Chicago this season, plus a 3-2 decision in a U.S. Open Cup semifinal.

Striker Carlos Ruiz returns to the lineup after sitting out against Kansas City last week because of caution points accumulation.

On defense, the Galaxy will be without Danny Califf, who has a hamstring injury, and possibly Ryan Suarez, who has a lower-back strain.

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Rape Case in England

Police in London are investigating an alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl by as many as eight unidentified players from the English Premier League.

No arrests have been made and the names of the players allegedly involved have not been released.

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Times wire services contributed to this report.