El Salvador Reportedly Refuse Bribe to Fix Canada World Cup Qualifying Match

El Salvador have reportedly revealed they turned down the offer of a bribe to lose to Canada in their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday. 

According to BBC Sport, a number of players "played an audio recording of a person allegedly asking them to lose" at a press conference. 

El Salvador cannot reach the final stage of qualifying after picking up just two points in their first five matches, but Canada need to beat them and rely on Mexico defeating Honduras—by enough goals to make up for Canada's deficit of five—so they can progress.

Sports broadcaster Andres Cantor relayed a video of the press conference in question (in Spanish):

"

Aqui el video de la conferencia de prensa de los jugadores de El Salvador. Vía ElGráfico de El Salvador.... https://t.co/mh0URoWrGq

— ANDRES CANTOR (@AndresCantorGOL) September 6, 2016"

He and journalist Declan Hill supplied further details of the approach made to the players:

Honduras sit on seven points from their first five games, three ahead of Canada and with a goal difference of zero having scored and conceded six apiece.

Avoiding defeat against Mexico—who have already secured top spot in Group A—will guarantee them a place in the final round, but El Tri have won all of their games, netted 13 goals and conceded just once.

Hill and Cantor revealed the exact offer made to the team:

In 2013, 14 players were handed lifetime bans from the national team regarding alleged match-fixing following a lengthy investigation, while several more were banned for 18 or six months for their roles.