Japan coach Aguirre fired over match-fixing scandal

Tokyo, Feb 3 (Xinhua) Japan national football team coach Javier Aguirre has been fired for his alleged involvement in a 2011 match-fixing scandal in Spain, local media reported Tuesday.

The 56-year-old Aguirre and 40 others were reportedly involved in the fixing of a match in 2011 during Aguirre's time as coach of Spanish club Real Zaragoza. In the match, Zaragoza beat Levante 2-1 to avoid relegation.

Mexico-born Aguirre took over the Japan coaching job from Alberto Zaccheroni after last summer's World Cup in Brazil. His team was eliminated in the quarter-finals of last month's Asian Cup in Australia.