UEFA have intensified their inquest into match-fixing allegations surrounding the Euro 2008 qualifier between Norway and Malta as two prosecutors from the governing body of European football flew into Malta on Tuesday to step up the investigations.

The Malta FA referred the case to UEFA last month after concluding its probe into claims that the qualifier in Norway, played in June 2007, had been rigged after Marijo Cvrtak, a convicted Croatian fraudster, testified that he had met at least three Malta players at an Oslo hotel before the game.

The allegations came to light in May last year during the match-fixing trial in the German city of Bochum of Ante Sapina, Cvrtak and other members of a Croatian betting syndicate.

Norway hit three goals in the final 18 minutes to beat Malta 4-0 at the Ullevaal Stadium.

In announcing that the Malta FA had forwarded the case to UEFA since the match in question fell under the latter’s jurisdiction, MFA president Norman Darmanin Demajo told a news conference last month that the association’s rigorous probe had unearthed “overwhelming evidence”.

The Malta FA head also added that, barring complications, he was hopeful that UEFA should be able to issue its verdict by the end of the season.

That process looks to be firmly on track as the UEFA delegation are believed to be sifting through the information contained in the Malta FA’s 500-page dossier.

Sources have told The Times that a number of Maltese players have already been quizzed by the UEFA officials at a local hotel.

The visit of the UEFA investigators comes just over a week after Michel Platini, the UEFA president, called for players implicated in match-fixing to be banned for life.

Addressing a news conference during a short visit to Malta on March 31, Platini said: “UEFA has a zero-tolerance position on match-fixing, especially as far as the players are concerned.

“Players (who are implicated in match-fixing) should not be allowed to play football anymore.

“This is killing the game and the players must shoulder the responsibility.”

Meanwhile, The Times reported earlier this week that the police investigation into the afore-mentioned match-fixing allegations is still ongoing.