VietNamNet Bridge – On February 25, the organizing board of the National Super Cup game requested an investigation to clarify the doubt of match fixing in the game competing for the National Super Cup between Saigon Xuan Thanh and SHB Da Nang on February 23.
SHB Da Nang’s Merlo easily scored a goal.
The information disclosed by the Vietnam Professional Football JSC’s senior official Nguyen Van Vinh made many people shocked. Vinh said just before the match, an anonymous message sent to some VPF’s officials, saying that Saigon Xuan Thanh Cement FC will be defeated, and even with more than three goals. The results were exactly as this message: Saigon Xuan Thanh Cement lost in a game that the team played very poorly.
Vinh said that the VPF’s Ethical Advisory Committee would investigate the case because the fact exactly occurred as the anonymous text informed and in the game Saigon Xuan Thanh Cement losed very easily.
“This (match-fixing) is a global problem and not only national federations, but the Interpol also investigates it. The problem is our attitude to combat this,” Vinh said.
On February 25, VPF worked with police on the suspicion.
Meanwhile, Saigon Xuan Thanh Cement FC stated to be willing to cooperate with VPF to investigate the match-fixing doubt and raised aVND500 million ($25,000) bonus for anyone who finds out the one who sent the text to VPF’s officials.
Nam Nguyen