Graham Poll is unlikely to officiate any more matches at the World Cup after booking Croatia's Josip Simunic three times before sending him off.

The English referee's mistake came in the closing stages of the 2-2 draw between Croatia and Australia which decided who joined Brazil in progressing from Group F in to the last 16.

Fortunately for Poll the mistake did not influence the result and Australia held on to qualify, but that is unlikely to persuade FIFA's referees committee that he should be trusted with any more matches.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter expressed some sympathy for Poll but admitted the mistake was unacceptable.

He also had some harsh words for the English assistant referees Philip Sharp and Glenn Turner, and the US officials on the touchline, Kevin Stott and Gregory Barkey, who all failed to inform Poll of his error.

Blatter said: "I place my trust in the referees committee. I think they have the right amount of feeling to deal with this case.

"We should not forget that Graham Poll in his previous matches achieved fantastic things.

"Of course, we cannot excuse it but perhaps we should understand it.

"It simply should not have happened. We have had four officials and what is not understandable is that nobody intervened.

"I can't understand it. There are people there and one of them should have intervened and run on to the field and said, 'Stop, stop'."

FIFA's referees committee will meet on Friday to decide Poll's fate.