FIFA are currently investigating match fixing in Lithuania's 2-0 win over Malta, the game three days after Tottenham Hotspur midfielderDeli Alli scored to help England beat Malta in their World Cup qualifying match.
The Sunreports thatMalta's goalkeeper has come out and said an official FIFA member came into their dressing room telling them their game may be fixed.
Andrew Hogg,Malta's keeper, saidhis team we're clearly told about suspicious betting patterns placed on their game. The official also spoke to the Lithuania players and the referee prior to kick-off.
There weremillions placed on Malta to lose by two or more goals, it is claimed,both before and during the game, and an investigation is currently on-going to seeif the game was fixedand if so,whetherthe game could be replayed or be deemed void.
The 33-year-old said: It was strange and felt very uncomfortable ” as if we were being accused of cheating. I knew I'd done absolutely nothing wrong and had no idea what they were talking about."
Hogg went on to add, on his own performance, that: In the event, there was nothing I could do about the goals. I made three or four good saves which show I was doing my best. I have absolutely nothing to hide."
The pre-match conference with the FIFA member clearly made the players uncomfortable, withHogg claiming: But this could really mess up the group because no one knows what might happen next. It's a bulls**t situation.�
It's been rumoured with all of the hype around the England game, due to the departure of Big Sam and Gareth Southgate in charge, it look the light off the Malta game and people looked to take advantage of the situation.
A source revealed toThe Sun details of when pre-match odds dramatically changed, withFIFA takingaction upon the early warning signs: "FIFA alerted both teams and the referee that the betting patterns had been noted. It was minutes before kick-off, but the match was allowed to go ahead.�
Anti-match fixing firm 'FederBet' recorded the betting market for the game and their director Francesco Baranca stated:
When we were watching the odds we could see something was wrong. It's not a surprise and nothing does surprise us. We received the records from the bookmakers and we checked them out to make sure the patterns were suspicious.�