US Qualifies for Copa América Despite Loss at Trinidad After Sergiño Dest Ejected for Arguing

Sergiño Dest forced the United States to play a man short following a pair of yellow cards in a dispute with the referee and the Americans qualified for next year’s Copa América despite a 2-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago on Monday night in Port-of-Spain, winning the total-goals series 4-2.

Dest got two yellow cards about 30 seconds apart when he lost his composure in the 39th minute and argued with Guatemalan referee Walter López.

The U.S. was in control until Dest, upset an assistant referee ruled he didn’t keep a ball from going out near midfield, punted the ball toward the far end. That earned the first yellow, and the 23-year-old defender then pointed toward Trinidad’s goal, apparently upset with a foul that wasn’t called earlier.

Dest argued with López as Gio Reyna and Tim Ream tried to keep him away, Reyna trying to cover Dest’s mouth. López raised two fingers and showed a second yellow and a red. Ream and Turner screamed at Dest as he walked off the field.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter brought in right back Joe Scally for Reyna after the ejection to restore a four-man back line. Trinidad tied the score when Jones played a long ball to Moore, who got past defender Cameron Carter-Vickers and beat Turner to the near post.

The U.S. finished the year with 11 wins, four losses and three draws, going 4-2 in the start of Berhalter’s second term as coach. The match in largely empty Hasely Crawford Stadium was 34 years and one day after Paul Caligiuri’s goal there lifted the U.S. to a 1-0 win and into its first World Cup in 40 years.

Berhalter inserted midfielder Luca de la Torre and forwards Brenden Aaronson and Ricardo Pepi in place of injured midfielder Weston McKennie and forwards Malik Tillman and Kevin Paredes.

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