D.C. United defensive midfielder Junior Moreno returned from a hamstring ailment only to reinjure the other one, sidelining him for Saturday’s visit to Philadelphia.
“He’s back on the training table and we’ll get him ready for practice” in the coming weeks, Coach Ben Olsen said Tuesday. “We’ve got to get him right. We’re evaluating him and we’ll get him there.”
Finding a silver lining in United’s odd early-season schedule, Olsen added, “We have a bye week every other week, so it helps to get these guys back” to full strength.
The Venezuelan international started the first three matches, missed two with the injury, then departed at halftime of the April 14 game against Columbus in Annapolis. Olsen theorized that overcompensation led to the injury to the other leg.
Chris Durkin, 18, started in Moreno’s place twice at Columbus and Kansas City and provided relief in the second meeting against the Crew.
Meantime, another candidate for that position, Russell Canouse, continues to have problems with a knee injury suffered early in preseason. He has yet to play in a league match, despite being seemingly close to returning two weeks ago.
“It’s a tricky one,” Olsen said. “It’s not a real black-and-white injury. We’re going to keep pushing him in a smart way. It’s going to be a little bit of time before he gets back on the field.”
Left back Taylor Kemp (complications from hernia surgery last fall) is “making strides,” Olsen said. Even if he were healthy, Joseph Mora appears to have a solid hold on the starting job.
>> Olsen said he has not yet decided who will start in goal Saturday. David Ousted won the preseason battle and started the first five matches but missed the Columbus game with a foot injury, allowing Steve Clark to give a standout performance in his 2018 debut.
“I have a pretty good feel of both of them,” Olsen said. “We’ll just continue to evaluate them on a daily basis. I’ll pick one. I’ll flip a coin and pick one. I could lean one way or I could lean another day. That’s the way I feel about them. I’m not ready to make that decision right now. Steve had a very good game and David, up to that point, has been pretty good too. One of them is going to be pissed off.”
>> Midfielder Paul Arriola will go three consecutive weekends without any playing time: United was off last weekend, he’ll serve a red-card suspension this weekend and D.C. is off the following weekend.
>> Philadelphia (1-3-2) is winless in five straight (one goal scored) since a season-opening victory over New England and has posted a league-low three goals. United (1-3-2) has gone scoreless in four consecutive defeats at Talen Energy Stadium and carries a 444-minute goal drought at the Chester venue into Saturday. (Anyone for a 0-0 draw?)
Game time is 3:30 p.m. UniMas, Univision Deportes and univisiondeportes.com will provide coverage. Long-range weather forecast: 67 degrees and sunny.
>> Travis Worra, D.C.’s third-choice goalkeeper on loan to second-flight Richmond, got married over the weekend. He has rejoined the Kickers (1-3-1) for Wednesday’s USL match against Toronto FC II (0-3-1) at City Stadium.