BOCHUM, Germany (AP) — A convicted match fixer has testified about how he bribed a Bosnian referee to manipulate a World Cup qualifying match between Liechtenstein and Finland.
On Wednesday, Ante Sapina told a German court trying four men on fraud charges that he met the referee in the parking lot of a Sarajevo hotel to discuss fixing the Sept. 9, 2009, qualifying match.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw with both goals coming in the second half, as allegedly requested by Sapina. Both teams missed the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The referee was later banned for life for his links to the match-fixing ring.
