There has been plenty attention paid to the match-fixing scandal in Italy, but very little to the match-fixing scandal going down in Guatemala right now. Yeah, match-fixing even makes it across the pond to Central America, which surprises no one.
Guatemala Vs. USA, 2014 World Cup Qualifying: Match-Fixing Scandal Leaves Los Chapines Shorthanded
The current scandal in Guatemala leaves their national team without three of their regulars - Gustavo Cabrera, Yoni Flores and Guillermo Ramirez. Cabrera and Ramirez are among the most senior members of the team, with 100 and 102 caps apiece, with both serving as captain at one point. Now neither will be available until FIFA’s investigation is complete.
Once FIFA announced their investigation, the Guatemalan Football Federation suspended the trio indefinitely. They missed the team's 2-1 loss to Jamaica on Friday and will miss their match against the United States on Tuesday. While the trio are aging and are not the players they once were, they did bring a great deal of experience and leadership that the team will surely mis in a match that they are desperate for a result in.
The three are being investigated for potential match-fixing in four matches, three for country and one for club. National team matches against Costa Rica, South Africa and Venezuela are being looked at, as is a CONCACAF Champions League clash between Guatemalan club Municipal and Mexican club Santos Laguna.
Check out our Guatemala vs. USA StoryStream for all of your preview, live and post-match coverage. For more on this match and the entire world of soccer, follow @SBNationSoccer on Twitter.
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