The USMNT are down to 10 men against Trinidad and Tobago during their CONCACAF Nations League clash on Monday evening after the referee brandished two yellow cards in the direction of Sergiño Dest in a span of 20 seconds.
Dest, who started the game at right back for the United States and assisted their lone goal of the first half, was issued a yellow card after he relentlessly and unprofessionally admonished a match referee following a decision that went in favor of Trinidad and Tobago.
Rather than simply get over it and move on, Dest continued to berate the referee, gesturing at him and shouting at him until the official pulled the yellow card back out for a second booking and indicated to Dest that his night was finished.
Sergiño Dest is sent off after receiving two back-to-back yellows 🔴
— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 21, 2023
Watch live on TNT & Max 📺 pic.twitter.com/bOmNuAJjAh
Despite the pleas from his teammates, including veteran center back Tim Ream and young midfielder Gio Reyna, Dest’s frustrations got the better of him and he continued to berate the referee until he was ejected from the game.
The incident occurred after officials deemed that Dest failed to keep a ball in play, while the 23-year-old clearly believed he had done so. After the ruling went the other way, Dest booted the ball out of the field in frustration.
Dest was sent off in the 39th minute, with the USMNT holding a 1–0 lead at the time. Trinidad and Tobago scored four minutes later, equalizing the game before halftime with the United States down a man.
