Portugal to appeal Deco's red card

MARIENFELD, Germany, June 26 (Reuters) Portugal intend to appeal against the red card handed to playmaker Deco in yesterday's tumultuous second round win over the Netherlands, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said today.

Speaking to reporters after a short training session, Scolari criticised Russian referee Valentin Ivanov, as well as the Dutch coach Marco van Basten and his players for not abiding by FIFA's fair play regulations.

''We accept that we made some disciplinary mistakes, but we cannot accept in any way the red card for Deco,'' he said.

''The Portuguese Football Federation, on the basis of the FIFA Fair Play documents, will put in a request to overturn the card for Deco,'' he added.

REUTERS PDS RK2122