USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter said Sergio Dest needs to be held accountable for his behavior after the full-back picked up two yellow cards within seconds in their 2-1 defeat to Trinidad and Tobago in the CONCACAF Nations League on Monday. The 23-year-old lost his composure in a needless dispute with the referee and was ejected from the match in the 39th minute, which allowed T&T to launch a comeback that ultimately earned them victory. Dest’s rash escapade will unlikely affect his future with the national team. He has a wealth of experience and is on loan at PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Champions League, where he plays regularly for a top team.
Dest was upset when a line judge ruled that he didn’t keep the ball in play and punted it away, earning the first yellow card from referee Walter Lopez. He then argued with the official and mouthed off to him as teammates tried to calm him down. Fulham defender Tim Ream and goalkeeper Matt Turner remonstrated with Dest as the match entered its final minutes, but he refused to calm down. Lopez soon showed him a second yellow and a red card, which prompted Reyna to cover his mouth as he walked off the pitch.
T&T’s goal came in the 64th minute when Keir Moore scored from close range after a swerving free kick that deflected off US keeper Matt Turner. The result gave the 99th-ranked Americans their fourth straight loss to the Caribbean side and left them without a home win in the competition. They won the quarter-final 4-2 on aggregate thanks to a 3-0 victory in Austin last week and earned a spot in the 2024 Copa America despite the loss in Trinidad. Dest, who assisted Robinson’s opening goal, is expected to miss the semifinal against Mexico in March, and Berhalter will likely give Joe Scally a chance to lead the defense against the top-ranked Mexicans. He’s the right man to take over at full-back, but the coaching staff will keep a closer eye on Dest going forward. He’s a talented young player with the attacking nerve to be a valuable part of the national team. But he has to be more disciplined to make it work.
