Kyle BonaguraESPN Staff Writer November 20, 2023, 10:16pm ET3 minutes read
Herculez Gomez eviscerates “bone-headed” Sergino Dest
Herculez Gomez attacks Sergino Dest after he received a red card in the USMNT’s 2-1 loss in Trinidad and Tobago.
The U.S. men’s national soccer team qualified for the 2024 Copa America on Monday night despite a 2-1 loss to hosts Trinidad and Tobago in which American right-back Sergiño Dest was ejected for what coach Gregg Berhalter called a “stupid mistake.” was sent off.
Coming off a win on Thursday, the U.S. entered the game, which also served as a Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal game, with a 3-0 aggregate score, they took complete control in the 25th minute with a goal from Antonee Robinson.
From then on everything seemed clear as Trinidad and Tobago had to outscore the USA by five goals to turn the result around. But 14 minutes later, Dest received one of the most inexplicable red cards in U.S. national team history.
Apparently annoyed by the referee’s decision shortly before, Dest initially shot the ball into the stands. To the dismay of the teammates around him, especially Giovanni Reyna, Dest continued to chat with the referee and received a red card in the form of a second yellow card.
“It’s concerning because we don’t want to represent that,” Berhalter said. “That’s not who we are as a group. We pride ourselves on staying mentally disciplined and fighting through all types of conditions, whether they are good or bad decisions. We should move on and react appropriately, and.” That was obviously not the right answer from Sergino.
The USA played the game with ten players and, despite losing the second leg, won 4-2 overall. Dest apologized to his teammates and fans on Instagram after the game.
After receiving a red card in the Nations League semifinals against Mexico earlier this year, Dest is the first U.S. player since 1990 to receive two red cards in the same calendar year. He will not be available for the semi-finals of the Nations League in March.
“He apologized to the group. He said it won’t happen again,” Berhalter said. “As a team, as players, as staff, we have to hold him accountable because it is inexcusable. That’s it really. And we were very firm in our words after the game.”
“He put a number of players in danger, made some of them do a lot of extra work in this weather and that is inexcusable.”
As Dest left the field, he was confronted by captain Tim Ream and had to be pushed off the field by goalkeeper Matt Turner as he strolled back to the US bench and into the locker room.
In a television interview after the game, Robinson called Dest’s antics “a moment of unprofessionalism.”
Berhalter would not speculate on whether Dest could receive additional punishment for his actions.
“He is a young player. He is a fantastic part of this team,” said Berhalter. “He will learn. He will grow. He made a stupid mistake. He knows that. He apologized to the team and we are moving on.”
The Copa America will feature all ten CONMEBOL teams and six Concacaf teams and will be hosted by the USA. The tournament begins June 20th in Atlanta and ends July 14th in Miami.