Sergino Dest has issued an apology on Instagram following his red card in the U.S. men’s national team’s 2-1 loss to Trinidad & Tobago on Monday.
Dest was sent off during the first half of the match, leaving his team in a difficult position after receiving an unnecessary red card. At the time of his dismissal, the defender was performing well and had already assisted in Antonee Robinson’s goal.
The defender was sent off while his team was leading by one goal from the earlier goal, and more importantly, they were ahead 4-0 on aggregate. Dest seemed frustrated with a missed call on the opposite end of the field and, during a break in play, kicked the ball into the stands. After receiving a yellow card, Dest continued to argue with the referee, even blowing kisses at the official before ultimately being sent off.
Teammates of Dest were clearly upset with the defender, as both Tim Ream and Matt Turner were seen shouting at him after he was sent off. Dest’s departure left the U.S. team with a lot of ground to cover, and shortly after, they conceded a goal, resulting in a 1-1 tie.
Following the game, both Gregg Berhalter and Tim Ream criticized the defender for his actions. However, the coach mentioned that the team would accept Dest back once he apologized for his error.
“I want to apologize to my Teammates, Staff, Fans and whole nation for my behaviour,” Dest said. “It was unacceptable, Selfish and immature I let my team down! It’s something I have to learn from and it won’t happen again!”
Dest becomes the first player to achieve both an assist and a red card in a single game since he did the same in the Nations League victory against Mexico earlier this year.
As a consequence, Dest will be absent from the USMNT‘s upcoming competitive match, the Nations League semifinal in the spring. It remains uncertain whether he will even be selected for that training camp, as circumstances can change significantly in the months ahead.
On a positive note, despite the defeat, the U.S. has successfully qualified for the Copa America and will participate in the tournament next summer, which will take place on home soil.
