February 10 – Italian football has been hit by another possible matchfixing scandal after an unheralded lower-league side conceded eight own goals in the last 10 minutes of a regional cup game.
The Italian federation (FIGC) is set to launch an investigation into the Coppa Sicilia match between Borgata Terrenove and Bagheria, the final fixture in a three-team group which also featured Partinicaudace.
All three sides play in Prima Categoria, the eighth tier of Italian football. Bagheria, needing a point to qualify, were trailing 4-3 with 10 minutes to play when Borgata struck twice in quick succession, then saw their opponents bizarrely score a succession of own goals shared between three players to wind up 14-3 losers.
The result meant Borgata qualified on goal difference ahead of Partinicaudace.
“It had been a real contest up to a certain point then Bagheria staged a farce,” Borgata coach Ignazio Chianetta told the website Siciliaingol. “Their captain told me they preferred us to qualify rather than Partinicaudace.”
Partinicaudace’s coach Giovanni Cammarata insisted: “I can guarantee there was no agreement between us and Bagheria. I can’t try to understand a motive for these eight own goals. It has nothing to do with football and I hope the FIGC investigates.”
Sandro Morgana, the FIGC’s regional president, said: “I will personally inform our prosecutors about this and they will look into the case and establish which sanctions should apply.”
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