CARSON, Calif. – For the first time since April, LA Galaxy left back Todd Dunivant made his return to a game day roster as he looks to return to the starting XI.
Dunivant has been sidelined since early April after suffering an abdominal injury during LA’s match against Chivas USA that later required surgery. For the 33-year-old left back, the chance to sit on the team’s bench during their 3-1 victory over the Portland Timbers was a joy as he looks to inch closer to game fitness.
“It was good to get back in with the guys. I’m obviously training now so it’s awesome,” said Dunivant. “An ideal world, I’d love to get some time with Galaxy II and build my way in, but I’ve had a week of training and I just want to build on it. Fitness and soccer fitness are different things.
“We’ll see how the week of training goes, but we need to talk to Curt [Onalfo] and get his assessment, but I’d love to get a game there.”
Said Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, “He’s coming back. He’s been out since early April. We have to start to get him moving again and maybe even get him a game with LA Galaxy II.”
But whether he’ll start once he does returns to full fitness is still a question mark due to the stellar play of Robbie Rogers. Rogers put in yet another strong performance on the left side of defense adding an assist on the team’s opener while also earning plenty of praise from Arena.
“I think that coming from a deeper position is good for him,” said Arena. “But the thing about Robbie in that position is he’s an excellent defender, which is the number one box you need to check when you are going to play as a defender. He does that exceptionally well. The other stuff like going forward is icing on the cake.”
But Dunivant acknowledges that despite Rogers’ success, he won’t be ceding the position.
“He’s done really well,” said Dunivant. “That’s great and that’s what you want to see. No complaints from me. It’s a good problem for Bruce to have.”
