D.C. United's Luis Silva out 4-6 weeks with hamstring injury

D.C. United’s Luis Silva is out 4-6 weeks with a strained hamstring injury. Silva suffered the injury in the first half of Sunday’s 3-1 win over the Houston Dynamo. United head coach Ben Olsen said he believes the 72-minute weather delay largely contributed to the injury.

D.C. United midfielder Luis Silva will miss four to six weeks with a strained right hamstring, Steven Goff of the Washington Post reports.

Silva suffered the injury in the first half of Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo. United head coach Ben Olsen said he believes the 72-minute weather delay largely contributed to the injury.

“You have been sitting there for an hour. You are always at risk injuring muscles after delays,” Olsen told reporters after the win. “You try to do a good job getting warm, but sometimes it happens."

Silva will miss the last two regular season matches and the Eastern Conference semifinals, though there's a possibility he may return for the conference finals if United advances.

“It’s a little disappointing, but it could have been worse,” Silva said. “I just have to look at it in a positive way and get back for the playoffs. I have faith in my team that we will get to the conference finals. They have to take care of it on the field and I will take care of what I can off the field.”

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The 25-year-old is United's leading scorer with 11 goals in the last 18 games. He is expected to be replaced by Eddie Johnson, who scored a goal on Sunday after Silva’s injury.

D.C. United is currently first in the Eastern Conference with a record of 16-9-7. They play the Chicago Fire (5-9-18) on Saturday. 

- Danielle Zhu