Red Card Stands, U.S. Faces Australia Without Scurry

Briana Scurry will not be in goal for the United States against Australia tonight after FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, upheld the red card she received in Thursday’s 2-0 victory over Denmark.

Scurry, 23, of Minneapolis, was ejected by referee Mamadouba Camara of Guinea for handling the ball outside the goal area when punting it up field. The U.S. team appealed the red card, which carries a minimum one-game suspension, but FIFA turned it down.

“The referee’s decision is final,” a FIFA spokesman said Friday.

U.S. Coach Tony DiCicco said he was not surprised by FIFA’s stance but feels it made a poor decision because television replays of the incident showed that there was no dissent by Scurry and that Camara “didn’t see her out of the area or confer with his lineswoman.”

DiCicco added, “It’s unfair to the athlete, that’s the bottom line. She deserves a world championship-level referee, and she didn’t get it.”

DiCicco said he had not decided whether Mary Harvey, the goalkeeper on the 1991 world champion U.S. team, or Saskia Webber will start in Scurry’s place.

“I’m comfortable with both of them,” he said.

Meanwhile, in matches Friday, Germany clinched the Group A title by trouncing Brazil, 6-1, in Karlstad, and Sweden advanced to the quarterfinals by beating Japan here, 2-0.