A third Maltese player has been charged in connection with match-fixing allegations surrounding the infamous Euro 2008 qualifier between Norway and Malta.

UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary Body is expected to reach its verdict on the case on August 17.

This was stated this morning by Malta Football Association president Norman Darmanin Demajo when closing the association’s annual general meeting.

He said the Maltese players who have been charged will be given the opportunity to defend themselves.

The accused players have not been named.

The case came to light in May last year after Croatian fraudster Marijo Cvrtak, an ally of Ante Sapina who headed a notorious betting syndicate, testified during his trial in Bochum that he had met with at least three Malta players at an Oslo hotel to rig the Norway-Malta game.

Describing his meeting with the Malta players, Cvrtak reportedly said: “I would have rather had a 5-0 (result), but the players had already agreed between them-selves.”

Norway scored three goals in the last 18 minutes for a 4-0 victory.

The allegations and the MFA launched its own independent probe, which it concluded in March. It then passed the findings to UEFA, which had requested to take over the case since the match in question fell under its jurisdiction.

Investigations conducted by two UEFA disciplinary inspectors when they visited Malta in April found more compelling evidence.

UEFA president Michel Platini has called for players implicated in match-fixing to be banned for life.