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Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has conceded he does not like it when his goalkeeper Edouard Mendy makes many saves since it means he is exposed.

In the four league matches, the Senegal international has made 16 saves which is joint-high in the Premier League. The former PSG coach believes when the goalkeeper is less busy, then it means his in-field players did not allow many chances for his opponents.

"I don’t like it too much when he’s in the spotlight," Tuchel said as quoted by the club's official portal.

"I like it more when he gets the praise from us for one-and-a-half saves, for being concentrated, for pushing the line up high and clearing some situations as a sweeper. If he is more or less invisible to the spectators in the stadium then I’m super happy. It means we did not allow many chances.

"He’s been in the spotlight the last few games and on one hand that’s not the most satisfying feeling for a coach. On the other hand, it is because we can rely on him. We have to accept things are not too easy at the moment. I even like these tough matches and tough moments because it sharpens our mentality.

"It’s a good part of the season to struggle a little bit. It’s better than having everything in place and then suddenly in November or December not knowing what’s going on. Now we can progress and get better."

The German went on to laud the custodian for his outstanding performance as well as his personality.

"I’m super happy with him. He’s an outstanding guy with a fantastic personality, super humble, super calm. His development from the first day has been outstanding. He plays with so much confidence. It’s so hard to score against him in training," Tuchel continued.

"Our goalkeeper coaches and the second and third goalkeepers did a fantastic job because only if they are a top team and push each other to the limits can a number one perform like he performs. He is calm because he feels safe in his environment.

"Every top team needs a top goalkeeper, and we have one."

Mendy is expected to retain his place in goal when the Blues play Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Ben White has expressed his gratitude towards Aaron Ramsdale after getting away with a major error in Arsenal's win over Burnley, admitting "my heart skipped a beat".

Arsenal followed up last weekend's 1-0 home win over Norwich City by beating Burnley by the same scoreline at Turf Moor on Saturday, thanks to a superb Martin Odegaard free-kick.

The Gunners moved up to 13th in the table and are now just three points outside of the top six, but White had Ramsdale to thank for sparing his blushes against the Clarets who might have earned a point were it not for the goalkeeper's quick reactions.

What happened?

White ran back towards his own box to pick up a loose ball midway through the second half, and attempted a first-time pass back to Ramsdale. The 23-year-old's knock didn't have nearly enough weight on it, allowing Matej Vydra to race in and intercept the ball for Burnley.

Vydra attempted to go around Ramsdale, and the referee initially pointed to the penalty spot after the Gunners shot-stopper stuck out a leg to bring down the Clarets frontman.

However, the decision was overturned after a VAR review showed that Ramsdale had won the ball legally, leaving White as the most relieved man in the stadium.

What has been said?

White paid tribute to Ramsdale for bailing him out, but also pointed to a lack of moisture on the pitch as the reason for his pass failing to reach his teammate.

"It was a tough one, my heart skipped a beat for a second," the centre-back told Arsenal's official website. "It was really, really dry out there today and my pass back didn't get there at all. Luckily Aaron came to save me."

White added on the Gunners' latest performance: "We knew it was going to be a tough game before we came here. Obviously it's so hard and the two big boys that they've got up top are difficult to handle.

"I think clean sheets are really important. If you get that, you've got a good chance of winning. We've got the quality upfront so if we're keeping a clean sheet, we're always going to win a game."

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter was at the centre of some trolling on Twitter in the aftermath of Saturday’s 4-1 Premier Soccer League defeat by new boys Royal AM.

It was an “embarrassing” result as per Baxter himself and the fans could not wait to make their angry voices heard on social media.

Their posts were a mixture of sarcasm and straight talk denouncing the coach.

Opposition fans also had a field day, feasting on Chiefs’ woes as the Soweto giants have won just once in three league games so far this season. 

Below are the best of the comments:

Watford defender William Troost-Ekong has lauded Emmanuel Dennis for his contribution to the team on Saturday as they claimed a 3-1 win over Norwich in a Premier League match at Carrow Road.

Nigeria forward Dennis opened the scoring for the visitors after 17 minutes, heading in a Kiko Femenia cross. But the advantage was cancelled out by the hosts in the 35th minute when Mathias Normann teed up Teemu Pukki, who levelled the score.

The Hornets reclaimed the advantage in the 63rd minute when Senegal international Ismaila Sarr was in the right position to connect with a Joshua King pass, before completing his brace in the 80th minute to ensure his team emerged 3-1 victors.

In a series of tweets, Troost-Ekong, the Super Eagles' vice-captain, was elated with the overall performance of his team.

"The boy is at it again," the centre-back posted regarding his national team teammate Dennis. "Nigeria to the world."

"Skipdog sums up what it means for all the boys. Three goals scored, three points gained... on the road. Top performance from the boys... Travelling Yellow Army were class [on Saturday] too."

In getting on the scoresheet on Saturday, Dennis became the second player to score both Watford’s first home and away goals in a Premier League season.

Prior to the West African's strike away at Norwich, Etienne Capoue was the only player to have achieved the feat for Watford in the 2016-17 campaign. It was Dennis' second goal of the season after he opened his Premier League goal account in their 3-2 win over Aston Villa on August 14.

Dennis has made a fine start to life in the Premier League following his permanent switch from Club Brugge in June and he was named the club's Player of the Month for August. 

He will be hoping to continue his fine form when Watford host Newcastle United for their next Premier League game at Vicarage Road on September 25.

Nigeria international Kenneth Omeruo was delighted after his team Leganes finally registered their first win in the Spanish second-tier on Saturday.

In the match played at the Butarque Municipal Stadium, Lazar Randjelovic connected a Ruben Pardo pass in the 14th minute to give his team victory by a solitary goal against fellow strugglers Amorebieta

Prior to that, the team had played five matches, managing two draws and three losses. But they collected maximum points for the first time this season, something that left the Nigeria centre-back optimistic ahead of their next assignment.

"Good to finally get that win," the Super Eagle posted on his official social media account.

"Massive support from the fans [on Saturday], next week for another win."

Leganes have now collected five points but still remain in the relegation zone; they are currently placed in position 20. Their winning goal was their fourth in the matches they have played, while they have conceded six in the process.

They started their campaign with a 1-0 loss away to Real Sociedad B, before collecting a point in the stalemate at home against the 10-man Burgos CF. Their next match was at home versus UD Ibiza, and they lost 2-1.

But they went on to collect a point in a 1-1 draw away to Eibar. Unfortunately for the team, they lost 2-1 away to Gijon before managing victory in their last outing.

They will be away to Mirandes in their next league match. Mirandes are currently placed in the eighth position on the table with seven points from the five matches they have played.

In those games, they have managed two wins and a draw, losing the remaining two. They have further scored eight goals and conceded seven. However, those stats are bound to change later on Sunday after playing away to Tenerife.

Tenerife are fourth on the table with 11 points from the five matches they have played. They have not lost a game; the points have come from the three wins and two draws.

Alex Song has blamed Arsenal’s poor start to the Premier League campaign on the quality of players they have in their squad.

The 34-year-old former Cameroon international, who made 133 appearances and scored seven goals for the Gunners before he left the club in 2012, believes the quality of the current squad cannot be compared to the players he played alongside during his tenure.

“It is the quality of players that is the problem at Arsenal now, when I was there we had so many good players,” Song said as quoted by mozzartsportke before his team AS Arta Solar 7 played against Kenya’s Tusker in the preliminary round of the Caf Champions League on Saturday.

“I’m not saying the players there are not good but they are not the same level as the players we had before.

“I have played with Thierry [Henry], Sol Campbell, [Dennis] Bergkamp, [Robin] van Persie, [Cesc] Fabregas, [Samir] Nasri, [Andrey] Arshavin and [Tomas] Rosicky just to mention a few and unfortunately it’s not the same kind of quality they have today.

“I’m sorry but I’m a Gooner for life, I hope they will come back to the level we know and expect but at the moment they are not doing very well. They won the last game and I hope their confidence can improve, I played with [Mikel] Arteta who was very good, and so is his vision of the game, hopefully, they will return to the top.”

On what Arsenal should do to return to the top, Song said: “When I was in Arsenal I was 17 years old and they took a lot of young players but also had big-name players like Thierry [Henry] and Gilberto Silva who made us adapt quicker but today Arsenal do not have this type of quality players that new players can learn from.

“That is why they struggle and at the end of the day they have to work very hard, I just hope they will take Arsenal to where it belongs.”

On whether he still watches Arsenal matches, Song explained: “Yes, I do I’m a Gooner for life, the fact that I’m here today is because of Arsenal. I got everything from Arsenal, you can never change that I’m a Gunner for life.”

On Arsenal missing out on European football, Song said: “It feels really bad, every Arsenal supporter does not want to see Arsenal at the bottom they want to see Arsenal come back to the level we know and we expect hopefully next year they will try.

“They have struggled in the beginning but the season has just started they have a lot of games coming but in November and February, they have tough games having to play Manchester City and Liverpool which is not an easy Calender.”

Arsenal started their season on a losing note, suffering a 2-0 defeat against promoted side Brentford, before losing 2-0 against Chelsea and then suffered a 5-0 humiliating defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

However, they have somewhat recovered to win their last two matches – 1-0 against Norwich City and 1-0 against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Orlando Pirates beat Chippa United 3-1 away in Gqeberha to record a second straight Premier Soccer League win on Saturday.

The result sent their fans into a frenzy on social media with some already claiming the Buccaneers are the PSL champions.

The win in the Eastern Cape was a follow-up of last weekend’s 1-0 edging of Swallows FC at home.

Below are the best fan reaction to the result:

Tottenham and England legend Jimmy Greaves has passed away at the age of 81.

The former striker's death was announced on Sunday morning, and the tributes are already pouring in for one of the most iconic figures in English football history.

Greaves had spells at Chelsea, West Ham and Milan across a stellar 23-year career, but his best performances were saved for Spurs where he became the club's all-time top-scorer between 1961 and 1970.

What has been said?

Spurs confirmed the passing of a club legend in an official statement on their website: "We are extremely saddened to learn of the passing of the great Jimmy Greaves, not just Tottenham Hotspur’s record goalscorer but the finest marksman this country has ever seen.

"Jimmy passed away at home in the early hours of this morning (Sunday 19 September), aged 81. Football will not see his like again.

"We extend our sincere condolences to his wife Irene, their four children, 10 grandchildren and great-grandchildren."

Greaves' legacy in football

Greaves scored 447 goals in total over the course of his club career, including 220 for Tottenham and 132 for Chelsea, winning two FA Cups and the European Cup Winners' Cup.

The prolific frontman's 41-goal haul in the First Division for Chelsea in 1960-61 remains a club record, and he also became a Serie A winner during his brief stint in Italy with Milan.

Greaves will be remembered as an England great too, as he managed 44 goals in 57 games for his country and played a part in their run to World Cup glory in 1966.

Tributes to Greaves

Zambia international Patson Daka could be set for a new role at the club as revealed by manager Brendan Rodgers.

The 22-year-old finally made his full debut for the Foxes as they battled to a 2-2 draw against Napoli in their Europa League fixture at King Power Stadium on Thursday night.

During the match, Daka, who joined Leicester from Red Bull Salzburg at the start of the new campaign, found the back of the net in the 59th minute after being set up by Youri Tielemans but VAR interjected to rule the strike out for offside.

Ahead of their Premier League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion at Falmer Stadium on Sunday, Rodgers has hinted at giving him a different role in the starting squad.

Asked whether he will start Daka from the right-wing against Brighton, Rodgers said as quoted by Leicester Live: “He’s played in those positions for Salzburg and we’ve seen him there.

“When he plays it he’s not playing it as a winger, he’s playing it more from inside. Like I've said before, I like to have one guy outside – like you see with Barnsey when he scored his goal, he was wide and then coming in – and one playing the other side who can maybe come in a little bit more.”

In a previous interview, the Zambia international admitted he was gutted to see his effort disallowed but promised to score more if given the opportunity to play in subsequent matches.

“I am disappointed [then he smiled], ahh, it was almost a dream come true for me, I was really ahh, [shaking his head], out of words, like I was lost in the moment, I was overwhelmed, I was happy and just immediately when I saw the referee waiting on VAR I just knew there was little chance for me to get the goal,” Daka said after the game.

“I didn’t know that I was offside, so I was waiting for him to start the game and just saw him waiting and I knew like something wasn’t right, I was really disappointed that I didn’t get my first goal for the club.

“It was a positive thing for me nevertheless, I think it was just unfortunate the goal didn’t count but it gives me a lot of confidence going forward because I still have a lot of opportunities to come and I know where the goal is.”

“It was a tough game and we knew it was going to be a tough game and I think it was really important for me personally to get some minutes and at the end of the day we are just disappointed we didn’t manage to get the three points.”

Daka’s visit to Brighton will see him reunite with another Zambian player, Enock Mwepu, who has been declared fit and available for the Seagulls.

Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has explained how he has managed to keep his starting position since he signed for the team one year ago.

The 29-year-old Senegalese custodian arrived at Stamford Bridge from Rennes in France while the team was led by Frank Lampard, and he went on to claim the starting role between the sticks which he has kept under new manager Thomas Tuchel.

Mendy, who has managed to keep clean sheets in 29 of his 50 games so far in a Blues shirt, won the Champions League in May and this week was handed the trophy for Uefa Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year for 2020-21.

Ahead of Chelsea’s trip to face Tottenham Hotspur in a London derby on Sunday, Mendy has revealed how he has managed to keep the position as first choice, his opinion on the return of fans and the team's good performances under Tuchel.

“When you play for this kind of club, you will find big competition [for places], a big fight for playing,” Mendy told the club’s official website.

“You can see it at Manchester City and at Liverpool - two good goalkeepers who are ready to play. So you have to be the best for yourself but for the team also because when the coach puts you on the pitch, you have to show why he called you.

“Every time you have to show it, and you have to push each other at training. It’s competition and Kepa [Arrizabalaga], me or Marcus [Bettinelli], we want to be the best for the team.”

On the return of fans to watch matches, Mendy said: “Last year we didn't play in front of the fans but now with the situation we are lucky, we can play in full stadiums and it is quite an atmosphere at Stamford Bridge.

“The fans are incredible and they help me a lot. When I watched the games when I played in France, every time I said to myself – ‘Wow! The atmosphere in England, especially in Chelsea, is incredible.

“So now I'm lucky because I play with this atmosphere, and this year for the Premier League, for the Champions League, and the cups, we need it.”

On why the team has managed to thrive under Tuchel, Mendy explained: “When the manager arrived he brought his philosophy and his energy and we performed straightaway.

“I think it was a good match between the manager and his staff and the team because the way he wants to play, we have the players for it so it was a good match.

“For me, he brings a lot of energy. He is a very energetic manager and I think the team needs that so it's good.”

Sunday's match will be his third against Spurs, having made his Chelsea debut against them in a cup match.

Nigeria international Samuel Chukwueze will remain sidelined when Villarreal take on Mallorca in a La Liga match on Sunday.

The Yellow Submarine will visit Iberostar Stadium for their fifth match of the campaign and according to manager Unai Emery, the 22-year-old Super Eagle, who is yet to feature in any match this campaign, will not be involved.

“We focus on how we line up for every match. On Sunday in Mallorca, we will focus on finding the starting XI in the best shape, taking into account Tuesday’s game, and without taking into account what comes after,” Emery told the club’s official website.

“We have two players out, Samu Chukwueze and Dani Raba. Everyone else is in good shape and raring to play. Looking at how the team have been training, we are ready to face Mallorca in their stadium.”

Chukwueze has been out of action since picking up an injury during the team’s Europa League semi-final clash against Arsenal which ended 0-0 at the Emirates Stadium on May 6.

The setback saw him miss Villarreal’s Europa League final victory over Manchester United, and also the team’s Super Cup defeat to Chelsea in August.

He has already missed five matches this campaign including their opening match in the Uefa Champions League against Atalanta in midweek.

Meanwhile, Emery is confident Villarreal will get a positive result against a tough Mallorca side.

“We’re going to find ourselves going into a match where Mallorca are full of motivation, they’re back in the top flight,” the former Arsenal manager continued.

“There are players who have been here, the head coach too. They’re things that add to the emotion. They’re a team that has been well designed, they have clear structures in attack and defence.

"They have intelligent players, young players, and more experienced ones too.

“Every team has to try and win. It’s another challenge on Sunday, and there is always room for improvement.

“We have players who have joined us and we need to find new synergies. We’re taking steps forward, there are some players who are established.

“That needs to be the inertia for the others, helping them integrate into the dynamic. That’s always a process that every team has.”

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo has branded a report saying Lionel Messi is on a €30 million (£26m/$35m) per year contract "completely false" and "unacceptable".

PSG pulled off arguably the biggest coup of the summer transfer window by signing Messi, who became available as a free agent after Barcelona announced they were unable to tie him down to a new contract due to their struggles to get below La Liga's wage limit.

The 34-year-old signed a two-year deal with the Ligue 1 giants, but L'Equipe reported he has been promised a third season worth €40m (£34m/$47m) and a yearly bonus of €15m (£13m/$18m).

What has been said?

Leonardo rubbished the French newspaper's claims in a press conference on Saturday, insisting Messi is only tied to Parc des Princes until 2023 under the terms of his current agreement.

"We can't accept this," the PSG chief told reporters. "This is unacceptable. This is completely false. I wanted to tell you that. I think it's a lack of respect and we didn't like it. I don't understand the timing. This is really very far from the truth, on the duration and the numbers.

"There are confidentiality clauses, but I can say that this is not the truth. The duration of the contract is two years. It's wrong, it's not that, and we didn't like it." 

How has Messi started at PSG?

Messi missed the start of PSG's 2021-22 campaign due to a short pre-season following his Copa America-winning exploits with Argentina in July. The five-time Ballon d'Or has gradually worked his way back to full fitness, and finally made his debut for Mauricio Pochettino's side from the bench in a 2-0 victory away at Reims on August 29.

PSG supporters were able to see Messi make his first start in a Champions League group stage opener against Club Brugges in midweek, but his performance failed to live up to the pre-match hype as the French outfit were held to a 1-1 draw at Jan Breydel Stadium.

Messi will likely have another chance to make his mark when PSG welcome Lyon to Parc des Princes on Sunday, where they will be aiming to extend their 100 per cent record in Ligue 1.

Further reading

Mamelodi Sundowns will be pushing to reclaim the top spot in the Premier Soccer League when they host TS Galaxy at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday.

After dropping to third position on Saturday following wins by Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch in their respective matches, Masandawana are now one point behind log leaders Stellies.

Victory for Sundowns will see them again settle at the top while a draw could drop them down to fourth spot in the event SuperSport United beat Swallows FC by a two-goal margin earlier on the same day.

They face TS Galaxy who have started their campaign on a struggling note and are yet to win any match while placed 14th on the table.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

Squads & Team News

Defender Mosa Lebusa was a surprise omission from last weekend’s matchday squad despite earlier indications that he had recovered from injury.

He was rested as a precautionary measure which makes him almost certain to feature on Sunday against TS Galaxy.

Mothobi Mvala is also expected back after suffering a minor knock while on international duty with Bafana Bafana.

Gift Motupa and Khuliso Mudau are doubtful for this game with the former yet to feature in any competitive match this season. 

Ruled out for the rest of the season is Lebohang Maboe after having surgery performed on his knee.

TS Galaxy coach Owen Da Gama will have to do without suspended defender Pogiso Sanoka.

Sanoka is serving his second and final match of suspension after being shown a straight red card in the 1-0 away defeat away at Stellenbosch on August 25.

Just like last weekend, 19-year-old defender MacBeth Mahlangu is expected to step in for Sanoka and partner Igor Makitan at the heart of the defence.

Match Preview

After starting the season by avoiding defeats but in unconvincing performances, Sundowns raised their game in the 2-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs last Sunday.

The impressive fashion in which they dismissed Amakhosi was a statement that they are capable of winning the PSL title for a record-extending fourth straight season.

Masandawana are keen to maintain that momentum against TS Galaxy who have drawn two games and lost once so far this season.

The Mpumalanga outfit has managed to concede three goals and has scored twice in three games.

Their attack will be coming up against a Sundowns defence which has shipped in just one goal so far in this campaign while having found the back of the net three times.

History between the two sides favours the Tshwane giants who beat TS Galaxy 2-0 at home last season and won 1-0 away in what was the Rockets’ maiden top-flight league campaign.

Ghana midfielder Mohammed Kudus watched from the bench as Cote d’Ivoire striker Sebastien Haller netted to inspire Ajax to a 9-0 thrashing of Cambuur in the Eredivisie on Saturday.

The Ivorian made it five goals in four days in the matchweek five fixture, having registered a remarkable four goals against Portuguese side Sporting CP in the Champions League in midweek.

The win took the Lancers to the top of the league table, one point ahead of second-placed PSV Eindhoven, who take on Feyenoord in their matchday five tie on Sunday.

Kudus featured in the Ajax’s matchday squad for the first time this season, having returned from an injury sustained while in pre-season action against Belgian fold Anderlecht.

On Friday, he featured in his first competitive game this season, featuring for the entire first half and scoring a goal as Ajax’s youth side beat Almere City 4-2 in the second tier.

A day later on Saturday, he was drafted into Erik ten Hag’s matchday set-up for the encounter with Cambuur, but would end up watching the entire game from the bench as his side displayed a ruthless attitude.

Jurrien Timber opened the scoring at Johan Cruyff Stadium in the 16th minute before summer signing Steven Berghuis doubled the score three minutes later.

Morocco right-back Noussair Mazraoui added his name to the score sheet on 29 minutes, nine minutes before captain Dusan Tadic registered his second assist of the night by setting up Brazil winger David Neres to make it 4-0.

After the interval, Tadic turned from provider to finisher, slotting home on the hour mark, before substitute Mohammed Daramy registered a debut goal to make it 6-0.

Ajax were not done just yet as Lisandro Martinez assisted Haller to put the ball at the back of the net in the 67th minute.

Danilo then made put 8-0, before Neres registered a goal of his own six minutes to full-time to complete the riot.

Mazraoui was substituted at half-time while Haller was hauled off in the 72nd minute.

Kudus will hope to make his first season Eredivisie appearance on Tuesday when Ajax take on Fortuna Sittard.

Jadon Sancho "is learning all the time and will improve" according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who says the £73 million ($100m) starlet is capable of being "a top forward" for Manchester United over the next 15 years.

United finally managed to get their hands on a long-term transfer target in July, prising Sancho away from Borussia Dortmund on a five-year contract.

The 21-year-old has endured a slow start to life at Old Trafford, struggling to make an impact in his first five appearances, but Solskjaer has no doubt he will go on to fulfil his potential as he matures and develops his game.

What has been said?

Speaking ahead of the Red Devils' next Premier League game away at West Ham on Sunday, the Norwegian boss said of Sancho: “He’s learning all the time.

"As I said in training as well, he’s learning our methods, he’s learning the Premier League and of course, he knows the Champions League already from being at Dortmund.

“He’s a young boy, he’s only 21 and he’ll improve. We signed him as we see a top forward for 10, 12, 15 years and I’ve not changed my mind on that.

“He’s so clean on the ball and is enthusiastic to learn and that is such a big thing when you come to Man Utd. You’re always going to get a chance and you play with some of the best players in the world, you’re getting some fantastic coaching with the coaches I’ve got too.”

Sancho's vow

Sancho has promised he won't change the style that saw him emerge as one of the top young wingers in Europe at Dortmund while trying to settle into his new surroundings in Manchester.

"I'm going to keep playing my game," he said earlier this month. "I'm not going to change what I've been doing over in Germany. I've just got to bring it here and hopefully, I can show the fans what I can deliver."

The England international also expressed his excitement over linking up with Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, adding: "That's going to be a crazy link up when Marcus gets back [from injury].

"Obviously I've seen a bit of Mason - he's crazy. We're still getting to know each other, obviously movements and things like that, getting our understanding, but it's going to be crazy all three of us on the pitch."

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Stuart Baxter issued an apology to the club's supporters following the Soweto giants' defeat to Royal AM on Saturday evening.

The Soweto giants succumbed to a humiliating 4-1 loss to Royal AM in a PSL match at their home ground, FNB Stadium with Sifiso Hlanti scoring the hosts' consolation goal.

Thwihli Thwahla produced a strong second-half performance - scoring three times with Victor Letsoalo completing his brace, before Sibusiso Mabiliso (own-goal) and Mfundo Thikazi put their names on the score sheet.

Baxter described the defeat as an embarrassment with the Glamour Boys having now lost two matches in a row including the 2-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns last weekend. 

"I think it's not only a hard defeat, it's an embarrassment. I think the first 20 minutes of the game we picked up where we left off [against Sundowns]," Baxter told SuperSport TV. 

"The structure was good, the passing was good, we created a couple of chances but give away a silly goal again, we chased the game, we have to chase the game.

"The naivety of the players as the game went on was astounding really and we never really looked like getting back into it."

Baxter explained why he introduced Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Kgaogelo Sekgota and Mabiliso after Hlanti pulled one back for Chiefs to make it 2-1. 

"You know we get a goal back, 2-1, we've changed about four different positions, then you lose a little bit of cohesion and you hoping you get fresh legs," he continued. 

"But we never really looked... our naivety again when we gave away the last couple of goals, when we were chasing the game.

"It's not good enough and it's embarrassing and I apologize to the supporters. We're back to the same old."

The British tactician, who is in his second stint as Chiefs head coach, was also left to rue his side's missed chances.

"I thought for the first 30 minutes it was, we lost it towards the end of the first half because we started to chase the game, but we had chances to score and put the game in a better position for us to play," he added. 

"But we don't, we're inviting them into the game, we're making very naive decisions and that takes the game over to them and then we have to chase it."

India recently played two international friendly matches against Nepal in Kathmandu in the last FIFA international match window as preparation for the upcoming SAFF Championship 2021 which starts from October 1 in Maldives.

The Blue Tigers were held to a 1-1 draw by Nepal in their first match on September 2 but they managed to win the second tie 2-1 which was held on September 5. This was the third and fourth time in 2021, that India played international friendly matches during a FIFA match window.

Earlier in March, India travelled to Dubai to take on Oman and hosts UAE in two friendlies. While they held Oman to a 1-1 draw, they suffered a thumping 6-0 defeat at the hands of UAE in their second match.

The Blue Tigers have played four friendly matches during the FIFA international match window in 2021, something that has happened only once in the last 11 years.

From 2011 to 2020, India never played more than three international friendly matches in a year during the designated windows. They did participate in other competitions and qualifiers but did not play many friendly matches. 2021 was the first time India played in every match window so far except the June window where they had 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup joint qualifying matches.

In fact , India fulfilled all the assigned FIFA matchdays in 2021 so far, something that happened for the first time in the last 11 years.

India has participated and hosted several competitions. However, most were held during non-FIFA matchdays. In such a scenario, the match has to be classified as a Tier 1 international game for it to be considered an international friendly. However, the point is that India do not play during international windows as often as compared to some of the higher ranked nations of the world.

Let us find out, how many times did India play friendly matches during the designated FIFA international windows in the last 11 years.

2011

India played just two friendly matches in the final match window of the year from November 11 to November 15. They hosted Malaysia in friendly games in which they drew one and won the other. They did play four more friendly matches against Maldives, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Zambia but none of them were during the assigned FIFA match windows.

It has to be noted that 2011 was the year India played the most number of international matches which included friendlies, AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers which were during the March window, 2014 World Cup qualifiers and the SAFF Championship.

2012

In 2012, February 29 was the assigned matchday for friendly matches. Asian teams had their 2014 World Cup qualifiers scheduled at that time. As India were already out of the qualifying round, they played two friendly matches against Oman and Azerbaijan, though not on the FIFA designated matchday. The only friendly match they played was during the October window was against Singapore. They used one out of the two designated matchdays.

2013

In 2013, India played three international matches out of the 15 matchdays assigned in the year. Before 2021, 2013 was the only year India played three international friendly matches. During the March window, India had 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers. During the September window, India participated in the 2013 SAFF Championship.

2014

India faced Bangladesh in the first match window on March 5 and then faced Palestine in October. Once again the Blue Tigers played just one game out of the two assigned matchdays in October.

2015

India played against Nepal in a friendly during the August-September window where two matchdays were assigned. That was the only international friendly match they played in 2015. During the March, June and October windows, India played 2018 World Cup qualifying matches.

2016

Like the previous year, India appeared in just one friendly match during the August-September window where they faced Puerto Rico in Mumbai. They won the tie 4-1. During the March window, the Blue Tigers were playing 2018 World Cup qualifying matches.

2017

India played Cambodia in an international friendly game in March as preparation for the 2019 Asian Cup qualifying third round. Other than facing Cambodia, India played their first 2019 Asian Cup qualifying game during the March window. Their only other friendly match in that year was against Nepal during the June window.

During the August-September window, they played one more 2019 Asian Cup qualifying game and just before the FIFA window they hosted a Tri-Nation tournament where they faced Mauritius and St. Kitts and Nevis. In the October window, the Blue Tigers played another Asian Cup qualifying match. 

2018

The Blue Tigers played two friendly matches in 2018, once against China in October and the other one against Jordan during the November window. During the March window, they played their final 2019 Asian Cup qualifying match and in the September window, the India U23 side played in the SAFF Games 2018.

2019

While India did not play any international friendlies in that year, they did participate in the KIng's Cup hosted by Thailand where they played against Curacao and the hosts during the June window. After the King's Cup, India themselves hosted the Intercontinental Cup where they played against Tajikistan, DPR Kore and Syria but those matches were held outside the designated window.

During the September, October and November windows, the Blue Tigers played their 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian joint qualifiers.

2020

India did not play on any of the match windows due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

2021