Sergiño Dest is delighted with his goal for the US national team against Costa Rica. In Wednesday night’s World Cup qualifier, Barcelona’s right-back provided the important equalizer with a nice, diagonal bang. The Americans eventually won the game in Columbus 2-1 thanks to a later goal by Tim Weah and are therefore again in the race for a ticket for next year’s World Cup in Qatar. Dest was also happy to finally pass Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas, he tells Goal.
“It was fantastic to play against Navas again”, the ex-player of Ajax beams. In the 25th minute of the first half, Dest pulled in around the edge of the penalty area before firing the ball stiffly into the top left corner behind the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper. “Last year my shot didn’t go in the return against PSG, but today it did and I’m very happy with that.” Dest is referring to the mutual return match in the eighth finals of last season’s Champions League between Barcelona and the French superpower. After a 1-4 defeat at the Camp Nou, Barcelona hoped to score quickly in the return match. Halfway through the first half, Dest was able to open the score, but he hit the bar through Navas’ fingertips. In the end it was 1-1 in Paris.
SERGINO DEST WHAT A GOAL ?? The USMNT equalize! pic.twitter.com/eVNh8R8Lym
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 13, 2021
Because of the victory over Costa Rica, Team USA in second place in the ranking of the North American World Cup qualifiers. They are now three points behind leaders Mexico after six games. Dest’s goal was of great value in the hunt for a World Cup ticket. “It gives a great feeling, because it was a very important and beautiful goal”, realizes the right back, who also played a key role in the 2-1. He steamed up the right flank and served Weah, whose shot flew over the post and into goalkeeper Leonel Moreira. Moreira had come in at the break as a replacement for Navas, who dropped out during the break with an upper leg injury. The Almere-born defender was eventually named Man of the Match after the game against Costa Rica.
National coach Gregg Berhalter is therefore very pleased with Dest’s contribution. “He is doing very well. He has already played more than 60 games for Barcelona and that is impressive. He just keeps working.” The trainer, who has a past as a football player at PEC Zwolle, Sparta Rotterdam and SC Cambuur, speaks full of praise for Dest’s attacking qualities. “The sky’s the limit for him, it sometimes seems. It’s unreal. We sometimes forget how young he is. He can be as good as he wants to be and you could see that especially in his attacking game.”
Related
More sports news