Eighteen-year-old Samuele Inacio lasted a mere 200 seconds on the pitch for Borussia Dortmund in their 2-0 Bundesliga win over Hamburger SV Saturday before referee Felix Zwayer flashed him a straight red card. Coming into the match in the 74th minute, the young gun’s appearance quickly turned into a nightmare after a reckless sliding challenge on Albert Grønbaek sent him packing. The dismissal left Dortmund shorthanded for the final stretch of a match they had been comfortably controlling, and Inacio earned the lowest player rating of the night. Rough, man.
A Painful Debut For The Young Attacker
Dude, talk about a brutal intro to Bundesliga action. Head coach Niko Kovac confirmed Inacio was sitting there crying after the game, and who could blame him? It was his first red card as a professional, and it happened on that big stage. The frustration spilled over into the tunnel too, with the youngster reportedly throwing a water bottle several times after leaving the pitch. Kovac didn’t sugarcoat it, admitting Inacio “didn’t do the team any favors.” He said, “He was late. He doesn’t need to go to ground there, and then he catches him. You can justify the decision and give the red card.” Ouch.
Coach Kovac Backs His Emotional Youngster
Even with the tough take on the play, Kovac was quick to back his player, refusing to turn the mistake into a broader indictment of one of Dortmund’s most promising talents. “I naturally spoke with him,” Kovac shared at the post-match press conference. “One can fully understand that an Italian was very emotional, was quite sad and cried. I comforted him and encouraged him. That’s part of football.” He stressed that painful experiences like this are part of a young player’s development. “Life goes on. He didn’t do it intentionally and he has to learn from it. Ultimately, that’s also what we want: the boy is emotional.” It’s clear the coach sees this as a learning moment. Dortmund defender Waldemar Anton echoed that sentiment, offering his support. “He’s a young player who is very motivated,” Anton said. “Getting a red card like that is incredibly bitter and, of course, brutally frustrating. But he has enormous qualities.”
This whole situation is a gut punch, especially with more bad news coming out of the locker room. Kovac also confirmed potentially devastating injury news about goalscorer Giannis Konstantelias looks to be true. So, yeah, not the best post-game vibes for the squad. For Inacio, this is a tough lesson, but the team’s got his back. He’ll definitely be looking for redemption next time out, eager to prove those “enormous qualities” Anton talked about. This is just one step on a long road, and you know he’ll come back stronger.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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