Ted Ku-DiPietro expected to miss D.C. United’s match at NYCFC

Coach Troy Lesesne said Thursday that Ku-DiPietro “probably” won’t be available, but with the 22-year-old Oakton native working on the side while the team practiced, the outlook seems bleak.

Earlier this spring, Ku-DiPietro (one goal in five starts) missed two games with a knee ailment. United has been seeking a second reliable scorer to complement Christian Benteke, who, with six goals in six games, is the only player to score more than once during United’s 2-2-4 start.

Ku-DiPietro is “a big player for us and he feels that responsibility and wants that responsibility,” Lesesne said. “Hopefully we get him fit really soon so he can continue to make the impact that he’s made early in the season.”

Last weekend, 18-year-old Kristian Fletcher replaced Ku-DiPietro and logged 45 minutes in the 3-2 defeat to Orlando City before yielding to Gabriel Pirani.

Klich (eight appearances) and Herrera (seven) have played every minute they’ve been available. Matti Peltola is expected to rejoin the lineup in Klich’s spot, partnering with 19-year-old Jackson Hopkins. Pedro Santos, who typically plays on the left side, is a candidate to replace Herrera on the right.

Center back Steven Birnbaum (knee), midfielder Russell Canouse (illness), goalkeeper Tyler Miller (shoulder) and rookie defender Garrison Tubbs (hamstring) have yet to play this season.

Birnbaum, the team captain and longest-serving player, has returned to training and is “probably a couple of weeks away from being fully integrated,” Lesesne said.

United was in a roster jam at St. Louis last month — two starters and two subs were away on international duty and Santos served a red-card suspension — but earned a 2-2 draw.

United has led in six matches, including four of the past five, but has won just twice.

“This was a topic this week — clearly it needed to be,” Lesesne said. “How do we make sure we don’t change our behavior when we do go up in a match? We want to remain aggressive, but we also have to recognize you’re going to potentially be in situations where you have [won the ball] and we’d love to go forward fast. But you can’t do that throughout the course of 90 minutes every single time.”

Last Saturday, United was committed to scoring the go-ahead goal when it conceded Duncan McGuire’s winner in stoppage time on a breakaway from the midfield circle. A breakaway from that distance is rare, and for it to happen late in a match is almost unheard of.

“The reason we’ve been able to take leads is because we’ve trained at so many different things that we’re performing at a high level,” Lesesne said. “The things maybe we haven’t trained at as often, that’s my responsibility. We’re not performing in game management.”

With D.C. United — and most other MLS teams — not participating in the U.S. Open Cup this year, Loudoun United is carrying local honors. On Wednesday, D.C.’s former second-division affiliate advanced to the round of 32 with a 5-4 shootout victory following a 0-0 away draw with the third-tier Richmond Kickers.

Loudoun will visit second-flight Orange County SC on May 7 or 8 in Irvine, Calif.