Two matches of Willem II manipulated by gambling syndicate

Two matches in the Dutch Eredivisie in the 2009/2010 season have been fixed by an Asian gambling syndicate, Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant reported on Saturday.

According to the research by De Volkskrant match fixers from Singapore paid players from Willem II Tilburg a total of around 100,000 euros (115,000 U.S. dollars) per match to lose with a certain goal difference.

The matches Ajax-Willem II (4-0) on October 17, 2009 and Feyenoord-Willem II (1-0), on December 19, 2009, have been sold by some Willem II players to an Asian gambling syndicate.

The first match went according to plan, with at least three goals difference, and earned the fixers an estimated one million euros on the betting market. The second match against Feyenoord went different than agreed with some players, with Willem II not losing by a two goals difference.

The Dutch football association KNVB reacted by saying "this is the most concrete match fixing case ever in the Netherlands". The KNVB asked for a criminal investigation by the public prosecutor (OM).

A key role in the match fixing scandal plays former Willem II midfielder Ibrahim Kargbo. The now 32-year-old from Sierra Leone tried to seduce teammates to get involved in the fraud, according to De Volkskrant.

The newspaper also has the name of a teammate who is suspected in the plot, but did not mention him because conclusive evidence is lacking to him.

De Volkskrant partly based their information on interviews with three match fixers, who all independently named Kargbo and Willem II.

Kargbo also reacted to the article. He acknowledged that he was repeatedly approached by match fixers, but he denies ever having accepted money.

Last summer the midfielder, currently playing for Atletico Clube de Portugal in Lisbon in the Portuguese Second Division, was suspended for match fixing in his national team in 2008 and 2009 by the football association of Sierra Leone, among other players. Endi