Six Vietnamese footballers arrested for match fixing

Six players from V.League 1 club Dong Nai are being investigated for alleged match fixing, according to reports in the Vietnamese media.

The group of six have reportedly been under investigation for several weeks, with allegations they have been betting on matches online.

After Dong Nai lost 5-3 at Than Quang Ninh on Sunday, it was confirmed players were being investigated, with several reports claiming they were detained immediately after the final whistle.

Vietnam Professional Football Company general director Pham Ngoc Vien was quoted as telling VTV Online on Monday: “A group of players have had questionable behaviour in regards to online betting and an investigation agency has notified the VPF to coordinate the investigating and handling of the incident.”

In their defeat to Than Quang Ninh, Dong Nai hit the front with a penalty in the 12th minute but then conceded five goals from the 20th to 65th minutes, before striking twice in the closing stages.

It is not the first time match fixing has been connected to the V.League 1 this season with Ninh Binh having withdrawn from the Vietnamese top tier in April after 11 of their players admitted their involvement in fixing an AFC Cup match versus Kelantan of Malaysia.