FIFA probes Myanmar match-fixing charges

YANGON: FIFA is investigating allegations Myanmar deliberately threw a 2022 World Cup qualifier match last year, the country’s football body said Thursday.

Myanmar lost the October match against Kyrgyzstan 7-0, the Southeast Asian side’s third defeat in a row in the qualifiers after losing to Mongolia and Japan. “FIFA has carried out an investigation, but we haven’t yet received its findings,” Myanmar Football Federation General Secretary Ko Ko Thein told AFP.

He said Myanmar had “zero tolerance” for such incidents, and the country had fully cooperated with the probe. Since their losing streak, the side changed coach and won their last two qualifiers -- giving themselves a chance of advancing from the group stages. They are due to play Kyrgyzstan again in March, one of three matches outstanding in the group. Myanmar football writer and analyst Htun Htun Oo said he was unconvinced there had been foul play.