Soccer

FIFA drops controversial World Cup ref

FIFA has replaced the Colombian assistant referee whose offside decisions denied Mexico two potential goals against Cameroon.

Linesman called 2 good goals back in Mexico-Cameroon match

Assistant referee Humberto Clavijo, left, argues with Mexico's head coach Miguel Herrera during the first half of the Cameroon-Mexico World Cup match. (Eduardo Verdugo/Associated Press)

FIFA has replaced the Colombian assistant referee whose offside decisions denied Mexico two potential goals against Cameroon.

FIFA says Humberto Clavijo will not be in referee Wilmar Roldan's team for South Korea vs. Algeria in Porto Alegre on Sunday.

Clavijo will be replaced by Christian Lescano of Ecuador, according to FIFA's website.

 In the second game of the World Cup, Clavijo drove the Mexican team to distraction by twice ruling out goals. The first was an offside call that was highly marginal, the second was plain inexplicable.

In other Sunday assignments, FIFA picked Nestor Pitana of Argentina to referee United States vs. Portugal in Manaus.

After beating Ghana 2-1, the Americans could advance from Group G with a second win.

Pitana previously handled a 1-1 draw between Russia and South Korea in Group H.

Felix Brych of Germany will referee Belgium vs. Russia at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Brych's first match was Costa Rica's 3-1 win over Uruguay.

"Our goal is for the referee to remain in the background during a match and for the players to be at the center," World Cup refereeing boss Massimo Busacca said in the run-up to the tournament.