GALAXY NOTEBOOK: DUNIVANT STILL HAS CUP HOPES.

Byline: Larry Morgan Staff Writer

CARSON - Galaxy defender Todd Dunivant watched Tuesday's 1-1 tie between the United States and Jamaica with more than passing interest. Disappointment was more like it.

The 25-year-old left back knows he easily could have been there if not for ill-timed injuries that have all but ruined his chances of being part of the 23-man U.S. roster for the World Cup in Germany.

Dunivant, impressive in stints with the national team earlier this year, suffered a strained quad in mid-February that kept him from accompanying the U.S. team for its international friendly against Poland, then strained a left calf after he resumed training.

He missed the Galaxy's MLS regular-season opener against New England but played all 90 minutes in last Saturday's 1-1 tie with the Chicago Fire.

Dunivant acknowledged he was surprised he went the distance against Chicago.

"A little bit, yeah," he said. "I was pretty rusty, and to be honest, I wasn't on top of my game. I think part of that was I was still thinking about my injury and trying to get fully fit. "Excuses aside, I have a lot more I can offer this team, and I'll do that in the next couple of weeks."

He also would like to do that for the national team, but those chances appear slim at best. The roster will be announced by U.S. coach Bruce Arena on May 2, and Dunivant's best chance appears to be as a backup to Eddie Lewis.

Dunivant believes he still has a shot, but he also realizes the timing of his injuries couldn't been worse.

"It's frustrating watching all of these national team games," he said. "Being on the initial (player) list for every game ... now I have to try to get healthy and move on. I had two opportunities (in wins over Norway and Japan), I had six weeks of training camp right in front of Bruce Arena, and I couldn't be happier with how things went.

"I just have to get healthy and keep improving and doing my things out here. That's what gets me to the national team. If I can continue to show I can offer a lot to that team, then (Arena) will give me a look."

--Classic 'Clasico': The Galaxy won all five meetings with Chivas USA last year, but Saturday's showdown between the Home Depot Center tenants will offer a glimpse into an altered future. Chivas USA has made sweeping changes, bringing in new coach (Bob Bradley) and several new players (including Ante Razov, John O'Brien, Jesse Marsch, Claudio Suarez, Tim Regan, Carlos Llamosa and rookie starters Sasha Kljestan and Jonathan Bornstein), and Galaxy captain Peter Vagenas said he expects Chivas to be a playoff contender.

"Everyone talks about our domination of them last year," Vagenas said. "But with the exception of the first game (a 3-1 victory), when we really came out and took it to them, the other games were tooth and nail. This game is a little different because, obviously, they've improved.

[e-mail]

[phone], Ext. 2272