Portuguese and Dutch break record of shame

NUREMBERG: Portugal and the Netherlands broke an unwanted World Cup record here on Sunday with the number of cards issued by the referee.

Russian referee Valentin Ivanov sent four players off - Deco and Costinha for Portugal, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Khalid Boulahrouz for the Dutch - for two bookable offences while eight others were booked.

Portuguese captain Luis Figo could also face suspension along with Deco and Costinha for the quarter-final clash with England as he was booked for headbutting Mark van Bommel - though the victim overreacted.