US qualifies for Copa América despite 2-1 loss at Trinidad after Sergiño Dest ejected for arguing

Sergiño Dest lost his composure in a needless dispute with the referee, getting a pair of yellow cards for dissent in a 30-second span that endangered the United States’ berth in next year’s Copa América.

Trinidad won 2-1 on Monday night in Port-of-Spain, overcoming a deficit by scoring twice after Dest’s 39th-minute ejection left the U.S. a man short. The Americans held on to win the total-goals series 4-2 and earn spots in the 16-nation Copa América and the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals.

U.S. captain Tim Ream revealed there were “choice words” for Dest at halftime.

“There’s not too many things that I can say here publicly that we said privately,” Ream said. “It’s a complete lack of respect for the guys that are playing, for the guys that are on the bench, feeling of lack of respect for the game itself, for the referees.”