Team scores 21 goals in 20 minutes; KNVB to investigate futsal game for match-fixing
The Dutch Football Association, the KNVB, is launching an investigation into match-fixing after a match between ZVC Veenendaal and DZV from Den Bosch in the second-highest level of futsal in the Netherlands finished 3-23 after the score had been 2-1 at halftime. SC Olympic from Westervoort, who have now likely seen their chances of promotion dashed, feel this was done deliberately, AD reported.
SC Olympic seemed set for a spot in the playoffs for promotion to the country’s highest level of indoor football, the Eredivisie, after they had won on Friday night. Their competitor for the playoff spot, DZV, had the same amount of points but had a gap of eight goals in goal differential to make up to catch Olympic.
Redouan Eddarkaoui, SC Olympic’s captain, has said that the footage of ZVC Veenendaal conceding 21 goals in 20 minutes speaks volumes. “Conceding a goal every minute, that does not happen at our level. The KNVB must and will look into this.”
The captain watched the game via a live stream on the website regiosport Veenendaal. He said that ZVC lost possession of the ball a lot more than usual, did not try to defend, and their goalkeeper came forward a lot leaving an empty goal behind for the opponent to score. “Watch the footage I’d say.”
ZVC’s manager, Hicham Saidi, was in Turkey during the match on Friday. He followed his team via the live stream. He said on Sunday that SC Olympic’s match-fixing accusation is nonsense. “It was our worst game ever, but we did not do it deliberately.”
The KNVB announced on Monday that the independent prosecutor will start an investigation on behalf of the football association.
Ironically, the news comes just a day after the KNVB launched a campaign against match-fixing called "Match-fixing? no chance!" In a statement, they described match-fixing as a "growing threat to fair and pure sport, inextricably linked to the (online) gambling market."
