
Kenya goalkeeper under ‘official investigation' for alleged match-fixing
The 37-year-old, who plays for Kakamega Homeboyz in the Kenyan Premier League, has been capped 30 times by Kenya, including in qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
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A video that surfaced on social media — which The Athletic has been unable to verify — appears to show Matasi in a compromising discussion with another individual regarding the outcome of a match.
The KFK said it would work with 'FIFA, CAF, and other relevant authorities' to investigate the allegations, while calling for any evidence to be brought forward.
'The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is aware of videos circulating online involving goalkeeper Patrick Matasi, raising concerns about possible match manipulation,' a statement read.
'FKF upholds the integrity of football and has launched an official investigation in collaboration with FIFA, CAF, and other relevant authorities. We reaffirm our zero-tolerance policy on match manipulation and are committed to safeguarding the credibility of our competitions.
'This investigation will adhere to FKF's Anti-Match Manipulation Regulations and FIFA guidelines, ensuring a fair, transparent, and thorough process. The rights of the player and his club will be respected, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.
'We encourage anyone with credible information to assist in this investigation. All reports will be handled with strict confidentiality.'
The Athletic has contacted Kakamega Homeboyz for comment.
Speaking to BBC Sport Africa, the club's chairman Cleophas Shimanyula said Matasi had informed him that he 'doesn't know anything about match-fixing'. He explained the club have their own systems to deal with such cases and insisted they are against 'any form' of match manipulation. He also added that Matasi would keep playing for the club.
'I have spoken to him,' Shimanyula said. 'He was also shocked at what he was seeing in the video and he told me he doesn't know about match-fixing.'
He continued: 'In the past we've reported match-fixing regarding some of our players (Festo Omukoto, Festus Okiring, Moses Chikati and George Mandela) who fixed a game with the coach and punishments were handed down by Fifa (in 2020).
'We have our own internal systems that we use to also look at match-fixing.
'As Kakamega Homeboyz we are asking anyone who has evidence of Matasi fixing a game to bring it forward.'
(Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images)
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USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
Club America and Chivas announce October friendly in Arizona
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New York Times
8 hours ago
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Forbes
11 hours ago
- Forbes
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It's been quite a summer for international soccer in the United States. Let's see. There was the FIFA Club World Cup for some of the top club sides on the planet, and the Concacaf Gold Cup for the leading teams in North and Central America and the Caribbean. And currently, we have the Leagues Cup. Hold on, you might say, what in the world is the Leagues Cup? Well, it is a relatively new competition manufactured by Major League Soccer and Liga MX to determine the best team in a tournament between each league. Several skeptics felt that another summer tourney that extended the MLS schedule that already has been congested with the likes of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (which has been alive and kicking since 1913) and the Concacaf Champions Cup, was not needed. But in 2019 MLS and Liga MX decided to create Leagues Cup. Only four years competed that year as the tournament has been expanded over the years. 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Toluca has captured the Liga MX Clausura and Campeon de Campeones championship this year. More recently, Toluca has finished atop the 18 Liga MX teams in the tournament with a 2-0-1 record, finding the next six times and conceding on four occasions. In the league, the team is in fifth place with a 3-1-1 record. Both teams boast some of the most reliable attacking players of the competition. Orlando City has midfielder-forward Martin Ojeda who leads everyone in the tournament with six goal contributions (three goals, three assists). Toluca has Paulinho, who is tied for the Golden Ball lead (four goals) and a spectacular bicycle kick, and Alexis Vegas. The Lions took fourth place among MLS squads in its table with a 2-0-1 mark. 11 p.m. ET: Seattle Sounders FC vs Club Puebla Lumen Field – Seattle, Wash. The Sounders were the only team that finished Phase One (yes, that's what it is called) unblemished with a 3-0-0 record. 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Alexei Domínguez is a young player (20 years old), is very interesting. So, we'll see. But it's going to be a tough game." Buried at the bottom of the MLS Western Conference, the Galaxy can make a lost league season into a Leagues Cup winner by securing the tournament title or even finishing in third place. Remember, the top three teams will qualify for the 2026 CCC. Savarese, who directed the Portland Timbers to a pair of MLS Cup finals (2018, 2021), felt LA still could salvage a nightmare regular season. "You have to make sure that everybody believes, everybody's together, everybody's ready to play," he said. "Whatever happened in the other competition, MLS Cup, and U.S. Open Cup, the main focus is Leagues Cup, because at the end of the day, if you win Leagues Cup, at least, you can say that this year wasn't a wasted year, that you can recoup something. That's the only way that you can manage a team, to be able to stay ... in the right direction, to be able to compete." 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