A Kenya goalkeeper has been suspended on suspicions of match-fixing after he was captured on video speaking to a man who was allegedly trying to convince him to manipulate a match.
Patrick Matasi, a goalkeeper who has turned out for Kenya’s national team the Harambee Stars in several matches, including the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, is the man at the centre of the storm.
Matasi, who now plays for Kenyan Premier League club Kakamega Homeboyz, was filmed talking to a man who issues him instructions about how to fix a match while promising payment.
“I repeat again before the boss, this is the first deal,” the man says as Matasi nods.
“You know how we have done this, I have never let you down, you have never let me down,” the man adds, suggesting this was not the first time.
How did the match-fixing scheme begin?
“With you, zero failure right?” the man asks to which the goalkeeper responds: “Yes.”
“Whatever will be given to me, straight I forward to you. Immediately I forward to you, I will give you a phone call and boss will confirm you have received then deal is on,” says the man, who then adds: “That first half, bro what we want must come.”
In a second clip from the conversation, there are two alleged match fixers who get specific with what they want from the goalkeeper.
“Can you promise us that first half, two goals. Why we are asking you to concede is that we know when you concede, you open the game,” one of them tells the goalkeeper.
“Without you conceding, if that game goes to 20 minutes, that game is locked. But if you concede, especially before the game becomes hot, the fist moment when the game is boiling and the goal comes, let’s fight and we will get the results.
Matasi handed 90-day suspension
“All this will happen with what I will tell the defender,” one of them tells the goalkeeper in what appears to be a scheme that involves other players.
That incident has seen the goalkeeper condemned in Kenya and Football Kenya Federation has reacted by suspending him for three months, pending investigation.
“We reaffirm our zero-tolerance policy on match manipulation and are committed to safeguarding the credibility of our competitions,” the FKF said through a statement on Thursday.
“This investigation will adhere to FKF's anti-match manipulation regulations and FIFA guidelines, ensuring a fair, transparent, and thorough process,” added the Kenyan FA, which will collaborate with CAF, CAF and other relevant authorities to get to the root of the matter.
Goalkeeper snubbed by Benni McCarthy
Matasi has 35 caps for Kenya but was snubbed by Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy when he started his reign as Harambee Stars coach with 2026 World Cup qualifiers against The Gambia and Gabon this month.
The 37-year-old was not named in the Harambee Stars squad with Richards Bay goalkeeper Ian Otieno preferred in goal for the two matches.
Matasi has, however, divided opinion with his howlers in goal during the course of his career.
The goalkeeper has conceded some soft goals while making schoolboy errors despite his experience, leading to claims of match-fixing among fans.
His last match in a Kenyan shirt was on October 11, 2024 during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Cameroon when he let in two easy goals as Harambee Stats lost 4-1 in Yaoundé.
Kenyan star conceded suspect goals in October
Vincent Aboubakar sent Matasi the wrong way to slot home a penalty for Cameroon to open the floodgates before Martin Hongla scored the second when the goalkeeper appeared to move away from the ball in what could have been an easy save.
Michael Olunga pulled one back for Kenya but Bryan Mbeumo scored the third for the Indomitable Lions.
The Bretford striker scored easily at the near post, when Matasi failed to even dive to stop the ball, and Christian Bassogog completed the rout after the custodian got out of goal in an attempt to close in on him but failed to so as the Cameroonian tapped into an empty goal.
Matasi was dropped for Kenya’s next game against Cameroon, which they lost 1-0, and he has not played for the national team since.
