Ukrainian football manager says he ORDERED his goalie to save seven-year-old birthday boy’s shots and he has NO regrets… as shamed keeper apologises to the heartbroken youngster and his team are invited to a game to make amends
- Enok Varga, seven, was invited to score on his birthday but his shots were saved
- DVTK’s coach Sergej Kuznetsov, 40, said he had told his keeper to save the goal
A Ukrainian football boss has doubled down after a heartbroken boy’s birthday wish to score a goal for his favourite team in Hungary was ruined – with the manager admitting he ordered his goalie to save the shots.
Sergej Kuznetsov, 40, said that the team had not been informed about the plan to allow the boy to score in advance, which he said put his players and management in an awkward predicament.
Enok Varga was allowed onto MTK Budapest’s pitch to score a goal on his birthday before the match began against DVTK Diosyor. However, his dream was crushed when goalkeeper Zsombor Senkó, of DVTK, simply swatted the shots away.
Sad footage of the attempts on goal shows the seven-year-old being carried away in tears after the goalkeeper from his team’s rival saved the shots.
In the face of growing anger over the seemingly unsportsman-like incident, Kuznetsov said in a statement released by the club (roughly translated into English): ‘I stand by my decision, and I wouldn’t make it any other way today.
Sergej Kuznetsov, 40, said that the team had not been informed about the boy’s birthday wish in advance, which he said put the players and management in an awkward predicament
But, he added, ‘at the same time, the club invited (Enok) to a domestic DVTK match. I hope we can consider this case closed.’
Going so far as to compare the situation to a professional football match, he pointed out that ‘it is not realistic for the visitors’ goalkeeper to let in a shot from a home striker’.
Just before kick off, Enok was given the chance to strike the ball towards the opposition goal, but goalkeeper Zsombor Senkó saved both of his shots.
Footage shows the boy excitedly running with the ball at his feet and aiming it towards the goal, before the keeper effortlessly kicks it away.
The child confidently retrieves the ball and tries again – only to have his score saved for a second time by the keeper.
Footage shows seven-year-old Enok Varga being carried away in tears after a heartless goalkeeper (Zsombor Senkó) from his favourite team’s rivals saved his shots
Members of the audience can be seen staring onto the pitch disapprovingly, while little Enok is carried away in tears. Bosses have now invited the little boy to another match, where he will be treated like a VIP.
Enok’s father welcomed the fact that the team is now trying to compensate his son, saying he is ‘very happy’ the story can end ‘positively’. ‘We do not hold a grudge against Zsombor, he only did what was asked of him,’ he added.
Unlike his manager, Zsombor said he does regret the incident and said he will ‘do everything to compensate Enok’.
He said he will personally welcome the little boy to their next match and give him personalised football memorabilia.
‘In the meantime,’ he said, ‘I wish him to never give up on his dreams and to fight for every ball as he did on Monday night!’
After the footage first came out, people flocked to Twitter to question the keeper’s actions.
The young fan of MTK Budapest was allowed onto the team’s pitch to score a goal on his birthday before a match began against DVTK Diosyor
Footage shows the boy excitedly running with the ball and aiming it towards the goal before keeper Zsombor Senkó – who plays for DVTK – effortlessly kicks it away
One wrote: ‘Bet that goalkeeper feels massive. His ego must be extraordinary after those two mental saves.
‘What a keeper he is. Saving from a young kid.’
Another person on Twitter wrote: ‘That goalkeeper is heartless.’
Another commented: ‘No need for the GK to do that – no need at all.’
Someone else wrote: ‘Poor little fella broke his dream, honestly there’s hard lessons to learn in life that is not one of them at that age I don’t think personally.’
Barstool football commented: ‘Life sucks buddy, get used to it.’