Ukrainian soccer coach says he ORDERED his goalie to save the seven-year-old birthday boy’s shots and has NO regrets… as the embarrassed goalie apologizes to the heartbroken youngster and his team is invited to a game to make amends
- Seven-year-old Enok Varga was invited to score on his birthday but his shots were saved
- DVTK coach Sergej Kuznetsov, 40, said he had told his goalkeeper to save the goal.
A Ukrainian soccer boss has doubled down after a heartbroken boy’s birthday wish to score a goal for his favorite team in Hungary was ruined, with the manager admitting he ordered his goalkeeper to save the shots.
Sergej Kuznetsov, 40, said the team had not been informed about the plan to allow the boy to score early, which he said put his players and management in an awkward situation.
Enok Varga was allowed onto the MTK Budapest field to score a goal on his birthday before the match against DVTK Diosyor started. However, his dream was dashed when DVTK’s goalkeeper Zsombor Senkó simply deflected the shots.
The sad footage of the attempted goals shows the seven-year-old boy breaking down in tears after his shots were saved by the opposing team’s goalkeeper.
Faced with mounting anger over the apparently unsportsmanlike incident, Kuznetsov said in a statement issued by the club (roughly translated into English): “I stand by my decision and would not have it any other way today.”
Sergej Kuznetsov, 40, said the team had not been informed in advance about the boy’s birthday wish, which he said put the players and management in an awkward situation.
But, he added, ‘at the same time, the club invited (Enok) to a national DVTK match. I hope we can close this case.
Going so far as to compare the situation to a professional football match, he noted that ‘it’s unrealistic for the visiting goalkeeper to let a shot from a home striker in’.
Just before kick-off, Enok had a chance to shoot the ball towards the opponent’s goal, but both shots were saved by goalkeeper Zsombor Senkó.
The images show the boy running excitedly with the ball at his feet and pointing it towards the goal, before the goalie kicks it effortlessly.
The boy confidently retrieves the ball and tries again, only to have his score saved a second time by the goalie.
The footage shows seven-year-old Enok Varga crying after his shots were saved by a ruthless goalkeeper (Zsombor Senkó) from his favorite team’s rivals.
Audience members can be seen looking at the field in disapproval, while little Enok is left in tears. The bosses have now invited the little boy to another party, where he will be treated like a VIP.
Enok’s father welcomed the fact that the team is now trying to make it up to his son, saying he is “very happy” that the story can end “positively.” “We don’t hold a grudge against Zsombor, he just did what he was asked to do,” he added.
Unlike his manager, Zsombor said he is sorry for the incident, saying he will “do everything possible to make it up to Enok.”
He said he will personally welcome the boy to his next game and give him personalized soccer memorabilia.
‘In the meantime,’ he said, ‘I hope you never give up on your dreams and fight for every ball like you did on Monday night!’
After the images were first published, people flocked to Twitter to question the goalie’s actions.
The young MTK Budapest fan was able to access the team’s pitch to score a goal on his birthday before the match against DVTK Diosyor began
Footage shows the boy excitedly running with the ball and aiming it towards the goal before goalkeeper Zsombor Senkó, who plays for DVTK, kicks it effortlessly.
One wrote: ‘I bet the goalie feels huge. His ego must be extraordinary after those two mental stops.
what guardian is Save from a small child.
Another person on Twitter wrote: “That goalie has no heart.”
Another commented: ‘There’s no need for the GK to do that, it’s not necessary at all.’
Someone else wrote: “Poor guy broke his dream, honestly there are hard lessons to learn in life that you’re not one of them at that age, I don’t think so personally.”
Barstool football commented: ‘Life sucks mate, get used to it’.