World Cup

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Attendance: 39,982

World Cup | Group Stage

Jun 18, 2014 at 11pm UK

Cameroon Cameroon
0-4
Croatia

Song (40')

FT(HT: 0-1)

Olic (11'), Perisic (48'), Mandzukic (61', 73')

Wilson Raj Perumal denies predicting Cameroon result

By Barney Corkhill, Editor

Published: July 1 2014 | 21:18

Last updated: July 2 2014 | 07:51

Convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal denies correctly predicting that Croatia would beat Cameroon 4-0 and that the African side would have a man sent off.

Convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal has denied that he predicted the result of Cameroon's World Cup group game against Croatia.

Cameroon's football federation has launched an investigation into allegations from German magazine Der Spiegel that Perumal correctly predicted that Croatia would win 4-0 and that Cameroon would have a man sent off in the first half.

However, Perumal insists that his Facebook conversation with the journalist from the publication in question took place after the match had finished.

"Contrary to the 'revelations' published by the German weekly Der Spiegel that were picked up by news outlets worldwide, I did not predict the result of the Cameroon vs Croatia match played on June 18, 2014," Perumal said in a statement.

"The Facebook chat with the Der Spiegel journalist took place a few days after the match - June 21, as confirmed by my Facebook log - and was but an informal assessment of the behaviour of the Cameroon team at the Brazil 2014 World Cup after they had played two of their three group stage matches, including the one with Croatia.

"At no time did I make reference to four goals being scored or to a red card being issued. At no time did I suggest that I had any way of corroborating or substantiating what was meant to be an educated guess based on my extensive match-fixing experience. Last but not least: at no time was I informed by the Der Spiegel journalist that our chat was going to end up in the German publication.

"I am shocked and amazed that a respected magazine such as Der Spiegel would go so far as to fabricate statements by yours truly with the visible aim of stirring the row over match-fixing. I apologise to the Cameroon FA and to its fans if I inadvertently offended them; it was not my intention. I strongly believe that Der Spiegel should also do the same since they placed words in my mouth that I did not utter."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has confirmed that he is aware of the unfolding situation.