No appeal from Portugal so Deco misses England game

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

BERLIN, June 27 (Reuters) Portuguese playmaker Deco will miss his side's World Cup quarter-final against England in Gelsenkirchen on Saturday, FIFA confirmed today.

Deco was red-carded in Portugal's stormy second-round win over the Netherlands on Sunday and although coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said yesterday that Portugal would officially appeal the decision, in the end they did not.

FIFA spokesman Marcus Siegler told journalists at FIFA's daily briefing: ''There was a phone call from Portugal and they were clearly told 'forget it'''.

Portugal will also be without midfielder Costinha who was one of four players sent off in Sunday night's game, a record for a match at the finals.

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.

'DISCIPLINARY MISTAKES' ''We accept that we made some disciplinary mistakes but we cannot accept in any way the red card for Deco,'' he had said in the aftermath of the game.

Scolari was unhappy with the first yellow card given to Deco, claiming that the Dutch had failed to return the ball to the Portuguese after a stoppage in play for an injury.

He accused coach Van Basten of encouraging his players to play on rather than give the ball back.

Deco, clearly enraged, chased after Dutch defender Johnny Heitinga as he played on and brought him down from behind. Deco was given a second yellow card in the 78th minute for time wasting.

REUTERS DH BD1726

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