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Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted he no longer knew who was in charge of the club when he left the Emirates in 2018.

Having first joined the club in 1996, Wenger saw plenty of change over his 22-year tenure with the Gunners and guided the side to 17 pieces of silverware. 

Wenger's final years at Arsenal were however shrouded in fan discontent and uncertainty behind the scenes, with the Frenchman revealing that upon his exit he no longer knew who ran things at the Emirates.

Despite that stinging observation, Wenger refrained from comparing the club's state after his exit to that of Manchester United's after Sir Alex Ferguson moved on. 

"I don't know, it's not for me to judge. But what I see is that the club have started to reinvest a lot, and things started off badly," Wenger told Canal+.

"There was disunity. We no longer knew who was in charge and that's never good. Now they've created a unit, and now it's about making good technical decisions.

"You have to find some form of stability and balance. That will be the job of [Mikel] Arteta, who must find the balance between defending and attacking.

"Mikel Arteta does a good job, yes. The club has regained its values, but it is in the long term that we will see if the values will continue to be represented. Before, Arsenal was respected because we gave young people a chance."

Asked if Arsenal consulted him on their decision to hire Arteta after the sacking of Unai Emery, Wenger added: "No. When you leave a club, at the beginning you have to cut completely. But he called me and I wished him luck."

Wenger is currently working in a role for FIFA and also recently weighed in on his relationship with Jose Mourinho - describing their fiery friendship as something more suited to kindergarten. 

Despite a recent 1-0 loss against Manchester City, Arsenal have started the new season in decent fashion and currently sit fifth after five games. 

The Gunners next face Rapid Wien in the Europa League on Thursday before backing up in the Premier League against Leicester City on Sunday.

Percy Tau scored his third goal in the Belgian First Division A as Anderlecht settled for a 2-2 draw against OH Leuven on Sunday.

The 26-year-old doubled the Purple and White's lead on the stroke of half-time, after heading home a cross from Bogdan Mykhaylichenko.

Anderlecht cruised into the break with a 2-0 lead, however, they were denied home victory at the Lotto Park as Frederic Duplus' 57th-minute effort and a late goal Mathieu Maertens earned OH Leuven a point.

Tau played for 90 minutes - his eighth appearance in the First Division A this campaign but he was replaced in the stoppage time by Michel Vlap.

Meanwhile, Sierra Leone striker Mustapha Bundu made a cameo appearance in the encounter as he replaced Anderlecht goalscorer Yari Verschaeren in the 86th minute.

Sunday's goal means Tau, who is Vincent Kompany’s team on a season-long loan from Premier League club Brighton and Hove Albion, has equalled his last season's tally of three goals in 18 league matches for Club Brugge after eight games.

Despite his personal feat, Tau's Anderlecht are yet to win a league match since September 19 - against Waasland-Beveren, and their latest draw against OH Leuven stretched their winless run to three games.

The Bafana Bafana star will hope to inspire Anderlecht back to winning ways when they visit Kortrijk for their next league fixture on Friday. They are ninth in the First Division A table with 14 points after nine games.

Paul Onuachu climbed to the summit of the scoring chart in the Belgian First Division A with a goal in Genk's 2-1 defeat of Sadio Berahino's Sporting Charleroi.

Onuachu opened the scoring at the Luminus Arena on Sunday with his eighth goal of the season on his eighth league outing with the Blue-White.

He scored in the 25th minute but his effort was cancelled out by Burundi star Berahino, who drew Sporting Charleroi level three minutes into the second half.

A few minutes later, Joakim Maehle found the back of the net to hand Genk their third win in the Belgian top-flight this term.

Onuachu played the duration but he received a yellow card in the 82nd minute while his compatriot Cyriel Dessers watched on as an unused substitute.

Both players were part of the Nigeria team that played against Algeria and Tunisia a week ago during their training camp in Austria.

Ivory Coast's Eboue Kouassi came on as a 78th-minute substitute for Genk while Sporting Charleroi replaced Berahino in the 68th minute and Senegal winger Mamadou Fall featured for 90 minutes.

Sunday's triumph moved Genk to 10th in the First Division A table with 13 points after nine matches, while Sporting Charleroi are still second on the table with 19 points despite the loss.

Onuachu will aim to continue his fine goalscoring form when Genk visit rivals Gent for their next league match on October 26.

The Super Eagles striker is a goal short from equalling his league tally of nine goals in 22 matches last season.

Ihefu Sports Club have confirmed the appointment of Zuberi Katwila as their new head coach, effective immediately.

The Tanzania Mainland League newbies have been struggling for consistency in the division. In the last six matches, they have managed to get just three points and are currently placed in the second last position on the 18-team table.

"Ihefu SC have officially appointed Zuberi Katwila as the new head coach of the senior team," the newbies confirmed via their official Facebook page.

"[Katwila] You are most welcome in the family."

Ihefu started their campaign in the top tier against defending champions Simba SC with a 2-1 defeat. They then defeated Ruvu Shooting by a solitary goal before falling by the same margin to Mtibwa Sugar. 

They followed it up with identical 2-0 losses to Mwadui FC and another promoted side Gwambina before finishing up with a 1-0 loss to Biashara Mara United.

It is for this reason they managed to convince Zuberi to join them from Mtibwa Sugar, and the former midfielder did not hesitate to accept the offer.

"Zuberi requested the management to release him, stating he needs some rest," Mtibwa Sugar communication officer Tobias Kifaru told Azam TV.

"He has been with us since his playing days; however we will have no option but to try and get his replacement."

While with the Sugar Millers, Zuberi led them to 13th position with five points in the six matches they played.

Mtibwa started their campaign with a goalless draw at home against Ruvu Shooting before settling for a 1-1 draw with defending champions Wekundu wa Msimbazi. 

Zuberi led the sugar belt side to a 1-0 win over Ihefu but fell by the same margin to 27-time champions Young Africans SC (Yanga SC) and Biashara Mara United. They also fell 2-0 to Gwambina FC.

Zuberi's first assignment with the new team will be against high flying Azam FC. The Chamazi-based charges are the only team with a 100% winning record in the top tier.

The Azam Complex charges have managed to collect 18 points from the six matches they have played and Ihefu will have to give their best to stand a chance of winning the game.

Arsene Wenger has responded to Jose Mourinho's comments about the former Arsenal supremo's autobiography, stating that the latter's attitude of "permanent provocation" makes it feel like he is dealing with a particularly unruly kindergartener.

Wenger joined Arsenal from Nagoya Grampus Eight in 1996 and oversaw a two-decade tenure at the helm during which he guided the club to perennial top-four status in the Premier League, winning three titles along with numerous other major honours.

Having taken time away from the managerial hotseat since he stood down at the Emirates Stadium in 2018, the 70-year-old released his autobiography My Life in Red and White earlier this month, detailing his long tenure with the club among other things.

Yet while the book touched upon Wenger's famed rivalry with Sir Alex Ferguson, as well as their subsequent post-retirement friendship, Mourinho is noticeable only by glaring omission.

Quizzed earlier in the week about his absence from the pages, Mourinho chalked it up to having got the better of the Frenchman throughout their managerial career together, pointing to his superior record on-field as his reasoning.

"You are not going to do a chapter about 12 or 14 matches and never win one so why should he speak about me in his book?" he stated. "A book is a thing to make you happy, to make you proud so I understand perfectly the situation."

Wenger however has been left unruffled by the Tottenham manager's comments, singling out his response for its perceived pettiness and inaccuracy while acknowledging that such ripostes are part and parcel of the Portuguese's general nature.

"It doesn't bother me," he told Canal+. "It is permanent provocation. I feel like I'm in kindergarten with him. But, that's part of his personality.

"It's wrong, we beat him twice. We won, and there were also a lot of draws. And it is not 'you' who wins, you only participate in the victory. It is 'us' who win. The manager is there to get the most out of a team."

Wenger also touched on speculation that he had been courted to leave Arsenal for Santiago Bernabeu during his career, confirming the rumour while noting that he elected to stay in North London following his achievements there.

The Frenchman revealed that he twice turned down an offer to leave the Gunners to take charge at Real Madrid but rebuffed them on both occasions in order to remain with the club who helped transform into a powerhouse of British football.

"Yes, I have refused them twice," he added. "But I was in a perspective [to] what I had undertaken. We had built the stadium, and we had to pay."

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) and Fifa have decided to postpone the final 2021 African U17 Women's World Cup qualifying matches, given the Covid-19 situation in many countries on the continent.

Caf had earlier chalked out a schedule to hold the African final qualifying round of matches in October and November but now the three games have been further postponed indefinitely.

The development came at the stance of Fifa due to the rising Covid-19 cases across the world, notably host nation India, who are now the second worst-hit country globally, with 7,546,882 cases.

A statement from the Caf read - "Reference to the decision already taken by Caf in August 2020 concerning the rescheduling of the U17 Women's World Cup qualifiers due to the current situation of Covid-19 in Africa, we would like to inform you that Caf Competitions Division had a meeting with their Fifa counterpart to inquire about the dates and venue of the final tournament of Fifa U-17 WWC-2021.

"Therefore, Fifa indicated that the dates and venue of the said final tournament are not yet confirmed. Consequently, the new retained dates for the second round will be communicated to you as soon as they are decided by the competent bodies.”

The final qualifying stage would see South Africa battle Morocco for a ticket as 2019 Cosafa Cup champions Uganda face Cameroon, while Nigeria square up against Ghana.

In Africa, 1,649,273 people are infected with 39,668 deaths so far, with South Africa with the highest number of infections at 702,131. 

Despite the African countries involved has since opened up for domestic football activities, the latest unexpected postponement will further fuel the possible cancellation of the competition.

If the final tournament still goes ahead in India, the three winners from the final round will be Africa's representatives when the showpiece takes place.

Gareth Bale's introduction from the bench was not a distraction for Tottenham in their shock collapse at home to West Ham, insists boss Jose Mourinho.

Spurs were cruising to three points in Sunday's Premier League encounter, with Son Heung-min's strike and Harry Kane's double opening up a 3-0 lead after 16 minutes.

But Fabian Balbuena struck and Davinson Sanchez's put through his own net before Manuel Lanzini's injury-time thunderbolt sealed a memorable turnaround from the Hammers.

Bale rejoined Spurs on loan from Real Madrid last month and was brought on as a 72nd-minute substitute, missing a golden opportunity when Spurs led 3-2.

However, Mourinho did not believe Bale entering the fray had any negative effect on his side.

"I don't think so, I honestly don't think so. The decision not to start him was I think a good decision," Mourinho said. 

"A decision to show that he doesn't have a beautiful chair waiting for him in the team and he sits there the first time he can. It was a message to the team that in this team everybody has to fight for positions.

"He's very well accepted in the group. Everyone likes him, and I believe he also likes what he found here. So everything is positive and the focus was not on him. The focus was on the game and he was on the bench for 65 minutes or so and I don't think so, I don't think at all.

"It's a pity that he couldn't score that fourth goal which was a beauty and would have killed the game. But that's football." 

Back in July, Mourinho said Spurs lacked mental strength following a 3-1 defeat to Sheffield United.

The Portuguese did not want to blame similar reasons on this occasion, citing the fact Spurs have made several additions to their team since then.

"I don't want to go there. We have new players. We played much better than last season. I can say the same about West Ham," he added.

"West Ham is a much better team than it was when [David] Moyes arrived. The team is in evolution, we play much better, we know how we want to play. 

"Defensively the team is much better than before, that's why I was saying before to look to our goals, the goals that we concede. It was only Danny Ings. After that, penalty Newcastle, penalty Man United, another penalty with Southampton.

"Today two free-kicks and an own goal. Defensively we're much stronger but in the last part of the game this happened and it's difficult to explain."

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi claimed not to be overly disappointed by his team’s 1-0 defeat to Bloemfontein Celtic in an MTN8 quarter-final match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday night.

Sundowns enjoyed the better of the chances in Tshwane although Celtic fought hard to earn a gutsy win against their more illustrious opponents to end a four-year winless spell versus the Brazilians.

Mngqithi was in his first match in charge since stepping up as joint head coach (alongside Rhulani Mokwena), following the departure of Pitsoi Mosimane to Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

“In this game, there were a lot more positives than negatives,” Mngqithi told SuperSport after the game.

“We are beginning to play the way I would like us to play. The coaches have worked very hard to make sure that we’ve got the right balance and shape in the midfield. And to be honest, we looked very good, but then we got punished, so what can you say, you can’t say you played well but did not win the match.”

One issue the former Golden Arrows MTN8-winning coach had was with some careless play in midfield; on several occasions, Celtic threatened on the counter-attack after turning over possession.

“There were some scary moments when they won the ball out of nothing when we were casual on the ball, and it created moments for them,” Mngqithi explained.

But ultimately where the game was won and lost was in Sundowns’ inability to take the numerous chances which they created.

“Otherwise we played very well and it was just unfortunate we could not take the game,” Mngqithi elaborated.

“The chances were created. But unfortunately, it was off-side with [Peter] Shalulile, unfortunate with the captain’s shot (a Hlompho Kekana drive which smashed against the cross-bar).

“We created some moments that would have given us the goal. Maybe one more touch could easily have resulted in a goal on a few occasions, but at times we were nervy and anxious. Understandably when you are playing in the first match of the season.”

Mngqithi will now be hoping everything kicks into gear when his side gets their league campaign underway with next Saturday’s mouthwatering clash against Kaizer Chiefs, the side who finished runners-up to the Brazilians last season.

The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has warned clubs to desist from prosecuting cases outside the established institutions.

Without mentioning a specific club, the federation said its attention was attracted by various claims that have been made concerning judgements that arrive at various bodies that handle football disputes.

The TFF has been in the spotlight ever since they made a ruling that declared Bernard Morrison a free agent which allowed him to join rivals Simba SC.

Dissatisfied Yanga recently claimed Morrison’s contract, as it appears in the TFF transfer matching system, only bears the player’s signature making it legally deficient.

The federation is yet to make a ruling concerning the latest claim by Timu ya Wananchi over the Ghanaian winger.

“Tanzania Football Federation has received with great concern claims that have been spread on the social media over cases that have been tabled by various clubs before it,” TFF said in a statement obtained by Goal.

“We would like to make it clear that TFF is not an individual but an institution that is run by a constitution and sets of laws. For that reason, every case that is presented before it is handled in a manner prescribed by those laws.

“The TFF Secretariat has no power nor authority to stop aggrieved parties from presenting cases before law and order institutions. TFF will continue working in a transparent manner because it is a body that is run on ideals.”

Yanga had threatened to pursue justice in the Morrison case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland and the TFF has stated clubs are free to seek redress elsewhere at recognised bodies.

“If there is any party that is not satisfied with any of the ruling, the norm is to file an appeal with the high organs of TFF, Fifa, or even with CAS,” the federation concluded.

“We would like to acknowledge the clubs that have always followed on the set appeal channels that have been created by the constitution.

“It would be ideal for other clubs to follow suit so that we can remain firm in football development instead of engaging in propaganda that does not help at all.”

From the last transfer window, Morrison’s case was the biggest matter the Players’ Status Committee handled but it remains fully unresolved up to the moment especially after the new claims made by Yanga.

Ode Fulutudilu shone for CSKA Moscow as they broke a six-year winless jinx against PK-35 Vantaa following Saturday's 2-0 victory in a Finnish Naisten Liiga encounter. 

Prior to the encounter, Aland had not won in 14 matches in all competitions against the five-time champions, with their last a 1-0 victory on July 12, 2014, drawing four times and losing 10 times subsequently.

Fulutudilu bagged her 13th start of the season from coach Samuel Fagerholm and gave a good account of herself as she created several chances, including a penalty that sealed their long-sought win.

Fagerholm's team made a brilliant start but could not break the visitors' defence as Anna Westerlund threatened twice with headers off corners from Anni Miettunen inside the opening five minutes.

In the 15th minute, Rosa Herreros raced in from the right before providing a fine pass for Miettunen to open the scoring for the hosts to secure the driving seat before the half-time break.

After the restart, Jari Vaisanen's ladies pushed for a comeback but Fulutudilu compounded the woes of the visitors as she won a penalty after her strike came off the crossbar.

Isabella Mattsson converted the resulting penalty kick in the 51st minute to wrap up her side's epic win over PK-35 at the Wiklof Holding Arena.

The South African, who boasts of five goals in 14 outings so far this season, was in action for 73 minutes of the match before she was replaced by Emelie Johansson for Aland.

The victory kept Aland in the top spot with 37 points from 17 matches this season, although tied with second-placed TiPS but ahead of goal-difference.

They will continue their pursuit for a first-ever domestic double against KuPS in their next fixture on October 31.

Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew has contracted coronavirus and he has gone into self-isolation to treat himself.

The Ghana international revealed his health status on Sunday after missing Crystal Palace's 1-1 draw against Brighton and Hove Albion at Selhurst Park.

Ayew recently returned to south London after going on international duty with the Black Stars in Turkey where he played in their international friendly fixtures against Qatar and Mali.

He has been a regular player in Roy Hodgson's Crystal Palace set-up since the start of the season with four appearances in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old disclosed he is asymptomatic to Covid-19 but he has commenced the self-isolation at home.

“Sadly, I have tested positive for Covid-19 and have begun my quarantine in line with the health guidance,” Ayew tweeted.

“Thankfully, I am feeling fine and I do not have any symptoms. I will be cheering the boys on from home and look forward to being back on the pitch soon.”

After Wilfried Zaha's strike earned them a point against Brighton, Crystal Palace took time to wish their frontman a speedy recovery on the sidelines.

However, Hodgson suspects he contracted Covid-19 in the Ghana camp and he does not know when Ayew will return to action.

"Unfortunately he tested positive for Covid in our last test on Friday," Hodgson said, per Evening Standard.

"He's been away with Ghana, which we weren't exactly delighted to accept that he had to do. Like several other Ghanaian players, I believe when they have gone back to their clubs they have tested positive.

"Now we have to follow the relative government and Premier League guidelines before we see him again.

"I don't know [when we'll have him back]. Don't ask me to stand here and explain all of the Premier League government guidelines when it comes to Covid."

Tottenham star Son Heung-min says his team-mates are 'devastated' after they gave up a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with West Ham.

Son opened the scoring for the home side in the first minute as he tucked into the bottom corner after taking on a pass from Harry Kane.

The England star then netted two of his own as Spurs were in full control after 16 minutes.

But West Ham fought back late in the second half, with Fabian Balbuena heading in the visitors' first goal before Davinson Sanchez knocked the ball into his own net and Manuel Lanzini secured a point with an incredible shot from distance.

Son admitted the Spurs players were in shock after the final whistle as they felt they should have won.

"The lads are devastated for the result, we think we deserved three points and played really well until the last 10 minutes. It's a shock," he told Sky Sports .

"It is football. It should never happen but it is part of football. We have to be focused until the referee's whistle. I don't want to feel this again, this is a good lesson for us to never happen again.

"We dominated the game from the start and scored three early goals and completely controlled the game. We had a couple more chances to score, but when you score three goals at home you can't drop points.

"It is so sad for me. The players, the team, are all sad. What happened, happened. It is just so sad. It should never happen again."

The 28-year-old told BBC Sport  that the result felt worse than a draw and hopes they learn their lesson after letting their concentration drop.

"It hurt. I don't know what I should say... I am very sad, it feels like we lost the game," he added.

"The second half we still dominated the game and controlled the game, had a couple of chances we should do better. A football game is 95, 97 minutes, you have to be focused.

"We should remember this feeling forever so it never happens again. It is just so sad that we lost a big two points, when we as a collective played so well and as a team dominated and controlled the game, to draw the game feels like we lost."

Jose Mourinho admitted that West Ham were worthy of admiration for a hard-fought point against Tottenham on Sunday, calling out Tomas Soucek as David Moyes' "new Marouane Fellaini" as his opposite number excused his celebratory dancing as "a David Peat moment".

The Hammers roared back from the brink to secure a sensational 3-3 draw at Spurs' expense, having looked buried inside the opening stages of their trip across to North London after a Son Heung-min finish inside the first minute and a Harry Kane double set records tumbling.

But the hosts were unable to kill off the resilience of their opponents and Fabian Balbuena's 82nd minute header handed them a lifeline as the game entered its closing stretch.

Davison Sanchez then turned a cross into his own net three minutes later to put West Ham on the cusp of the most unlikely of comebacks, before Manuel Lanzini's incredible curled finish with the last kick of the game deep into injury time sealed a magnificent point.

In a game that saw Gareth Bale make his long-awaited return to the club off the bench, Mourinho was left to rue a second late capitulation in the space of three Premier League games, following on from their draw with Newcastle last month.

Speaking after the match, the Portuguese paid tribute to his opponents while singling out Czech Republic international Soucek for praise, comparing him to former Manchester United star Fellaini, whom both Mourinho and Moyes coached during their time at Old Trafford, with the latter bringing him with him to the Theatre of Dreams from Everton in 2013.

"I told them to be aware of set-pieces against, which we knew they were very strong," he told Sky Sports. "David found in Soucek his new Fellaini. They fought very hard to be lucky, so I praise them.

"This is a game that was in the pocket and we lost two points."

Moyes meanwhile praised his side's turnaround while admitting that his celebratory reaction after Lanzini's equaliser called to mind that of former Luton Town boss Pleat, who took off across the pitch in similar fashion in 1983 when his side avoided relegation thanks to a Radomir Antic goal against Manchester City at Maine Road.

"I have just seen my celebration," he told BBC Sport. "[A] David Pleat moment came to mind! I know someone else who has run and slid down the touchline, so I wasn't going to copy that."

"It is one of these moments you don't often get in football. At one point you're saying how bad can this get. I hadn't thought we played badly in the first half, that's what I said at half time.

"Sometimes you feel you have to do something. We didn't. We made changes later on and they certainly made a big difference.

"The plan was not to go 4-0 down. We said if we got one we would see what happened. It is a growing confidence we have at West Ham at the moment.

"[It was] a really good performance from the players [that] got us back into it. We thought we played really well, the football was good, we threatened them.

"We are playing against a team everyone is talking about and after 10 minutes I was thinking [that] this going to be six or seven. We changed and it made us better.

"You get a lot of downs in football when you are working hard and trying to attain the top level [but] today was a great moment. Since we came back from lockdown we've been a completely different team."

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Ahmad Ahmad has congratulated Nick Mwendwa for his re-election as Football Kenya Federation(FKF) president.

The youthful administrator garnered 77 votes from the 85 cast with closest challenger Omondi Aduda managing five votes while Herbert Mwachiro managed to get three. Dan Mule and Boniface Osano got zero votes.

"I was not surprised when I learned about your brilliant re-election as the head of the Football Kenya Federation, thus confirming the high performance and the high efficiency of your work since 2016, the year of your first taking office, and I hasten to present you my most warm and sincere congratulations," Ahmad said in a letter to Mwendwa obtained by Goal.

"On behalf of the Executive Committee of Caf and personally, I wish you every success in your endeavours.  

"This second term, which you obtained by an impressive majority, is the demonstration that your entire term has been appreciated and strongly supported."

The Caf head has now challenged Mwendwa to maintain the good work he has been doing and set a fine example especially in promoting the game among the youth.

"Considered as one of our youngest National Association president, you represent a role model and an example of pride to follow for African sports youth, and I remain convinced that you will continue all of your actions with the same vigour and the same determination," the letter added.

"I encourage you on this path to success which reflects the prestigious ambition of the Kenyan nation which has made the sport a national priority.

"Kindly accept, Mr President, dear friend Nick once again my warm congratulations and friendly greetings."   

Mwendwa went on to thank the delegates for giving him a second chance and promised to work with rivals.

"I am very humbled for the overwhelming win we scooped as Team Blue," Mwendwa told Goal after the polls.

"I knew going into the elections that I will retain my seat but I didn’t know I will do it with such an emphatic style, I thank the delegates for giving me another mandate to lead them and I promise I will achieve my targets in the next four years.

"I also want to ask those who were competing against me, and even those who lost in various positions here today [Saturday] I am welcoming them to my side, let them come, we work together, let us put our heads together to improve our football.

"I cannot do this on my own or with the team you have given me, I need everyone on board so we can achieve our set targets.

"We have several targets we must achieve in the next four years, I want to see Kenya in the World Cup, for both men and women national teams, I know it might sound like a dream or even a joke, but we can make it, we need proper planning and that is why I want everyone on board."

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt lauded the club's youngsters after the Soweto giants defeated Maritzburg United in the MTN8 match on Sunday afternoon. 

Yagan Sasman, 24, was the hero for Amakhosi as his brace inspired the team to a 2-1 win over the Team of Choice in a quarter-final encounter at FNB Stadium

Reeve Frosler, 22, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, 20, Njabulo Blom, 20, and Happy Mashiane, 22, were all in action as Hunt started his Chiefs tenure with a victory. 

"I thought the kids did well again. I thought the goal boy [Sasman] - he's a player for me. He can play. Blom came in, changed the game. He's another one, a youngster. Happy - came in on the left," Hunt told SuperSport TV.

"These are the ones for the future. I've got a few more here. I'll keep blooding them and keep playing them. But we can't play them just for the sake of playing them. We've got to play them for the right reasons. It'll take hopefully not too much time."

The former Bidvest Wits coach also praised veteran forward Bernard Parker, who was a constant thorn in the flesh of Maritzburg defence throughout the lively encounter. 

"I think first half we were still on the bus, we were all over the show. We have pulled apart. I'm trying to instil a couple of things, but it's difficult in a week and a half. And then I made the changes which it was inevitable to do. We changed the shape a bit," he continued.

"I thought a guy like Bernard Parker, he was unbelievable today. He was fantastic, playing out of position. But you know, we showed a bit of grit. But I'm trying to instil the mentality into the team. That's the most important thing.

"First half, certainly not good. No one generally plays well in their first game of the season. We were a little bit rusty here and there. But the things we are trying to implement will take time and hopefully, this will give us some momentum going forward and we'll try next week again. We'll get a few players back."

Chiefs will now take on Mamelodi Sundowns in their maiden PSL game of the 2020/21 season on October 24.

Meanwhile, Maritzburg head coach Eric Tinkler was left to rue his side's missed chances with the Team of Choice having dominated the first half, but they scored only once. 

"First half. We should have killed off the game to be brutally honest. We dominated completely. We should have been 2-3 nil up at half-time. We should have ended the game in the first half," Tinkler told SuperSport TV. 

"And because we didn't, we got punished for it in the second. It was chalk and cheese - the performance of the first half versus the performance of the second half.

"What is the reason behind the drop in performance and the fact that we just looked completely lost in the second half? It simply doesn't make any sense. And the only thing I can put my finger on is, have we got the heart? Have we got the winning mentality?"

Tinkler feels that Chiefs centre forward Leonardo Castro changed the complexion of the game as he was able to hold the ball up for his teammates. 

"And number two, maybe it's the fitness levels. Maybe the fitness levels in the second half weren't where they need to be and we didn't match them in terms of the intensity and that's probably one of the reasons why we find ourselves playing on the back foot," he continued. 

"Yes, Castro came in, he made a big difference for them. They were playing the ball into his feet. We allowed the ball to go into his feet. But we didn't respond to it. We didn't press them as well as we did in the first half. The second-half, non-existent. We allowed them back in. Two set-pieces. We spoke about it for the whole week."

The former Orlando Pirates coach was also disappointed by the way his side defended against set-pieces as Chiefs' two goals came from corner-kicks. 

"Every interview I do, I say the only place they can hurt you is from the set-piece and you go and concede two goals from the set-piece. So it's about taking responsibility. Everybody must take responsibility. Because we threw away a great opportunity here to get into a semi-final," he added. 

"It's very easy to point fingers at everyone. Even I must take responsibility. And we'll go back and work on it during the week. And you hope that people learn from these mistakes. But these mistakes are very costly.

"And you practise it the whole week and it's very easy to point fingers. But we have to take responsibility."

Maritzburg have now turned their attention to their first league game of the 2020/21 season which is against Baroka FC on October 24.

Bloemfontein Celtic ended a four-year winless run against Mamelodi Sundowns with a 1-0 victory in a hard-fought MTN8 quarter-final encounter at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday evening.

Victor Letsoalo was the match-winner with a cleverly-taken goal midway through the second half.

And after losing four times to Sundowns last season alone (twice in the cup and twice in the league), it was certainly sweet revenge for Celtic, who put up a spirited performance in Pretoria.

The first half belonged mainly to the Brazilians, although Phunya Sele Sele did have a couple of good chances of their own.

It was, however, Celtic keeper Jackson Mabokgwane who was the busier of the two shot-stoppers, starting in the sixth minute when he did well to get down quickly to push away a close-range shot by Ricardo Nascimento, who had been left unattended at a corner.

It took a while for the next opening to arrive, and this time it fell the way of the Free State side, but a sharp reaction by Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango meant the opportunity was snuffed out before Sera Motebang was able to pull the trigger in the 28th minute.

A couple of minutes later the action returned to the other end where Mabokgwane made an outstanding reflex stop as he got down to claw Gaston Sirino’s near-post flick to safety, following Lyle Lakay’s accurate cross.

Mabokgwane also pouched a long-range shot from Hlompho Kekana in the 32nd minute before Motebang missed a decent chance for Celtic when he fired a volley into the stands from inside the box.

Just before half-time, Masandawana were denied what they thought was the opening goal when Peter Shalulile’s header was correctly called off-side.

Shalulile was at it again straight after the restart, drawing a save from Mabokgwane although it was the visitors who nearly went ahead in the 48th minute when Victor Letsoalo’s angled drive flashed over.

Just before the hour mark Sundowns were inches away from taking the lead when a typically thunderous Kekana shot from 30-yards out smashed off the crossbar and nearly crossed the line but instead bounced back into play.

Phunya Sele Sele were always in the game though and they shocked the hosts by taking the lead in the 68th minute when Letsoalo’s deft header from a Ronald Pfumbidzai free-kick nestled in the back of the net.

From then on, it was all about whether Celtic could hang on for the final 25 or so minutes.

But they managed it well and even had a couple of chances on the counter-attack to add another goal,

Orlando Pirates are set to take on their arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the 2020 MTN8 semi-finals.

The two biggest football clubs in the country were pitted against each other during a draw which was conducted on Sunday night.

Pirates booked their place in the last four after securing a hard-fought 1-0 win over 10-man Cape Town City at Orlando Stadium on Saturday night.

Terrence Dzvukamanja netted the only goal of the match on debut for Bucs, who are keen to clinch their 10th MTN8 title and end their six-year trophy drought in the process. 

However, Bucs will have to overcome their Soweto rivals in the two-legged semi-finals in order to reach the final.

Amakhosi advanced to the semi-finals after they came back to defeat Maritzburg United 2-1 at FNB Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

A first-half goal by Thabiso Kutumela handed Maritzburg the lead, but Yagan Sasman grabbed a brace after the restart which inspired Chiefs to a well-deserved win.

The Soweto giants are hoping to go all the way and clinch a record-extending 16th MTN8 title and also end their five-year trophy drought in the process.

This will be the first meeting between Pirates and Chiefs in the MTN8 since 2014 when Amakhosi ran out 1-0 winners in the final.

Prior to that, Pirates had eliminated Chiefs from the MTN8 in the 2013 semi-finals as they won 2-1 on aggregate.

Meanwhile, SuperSport United will battle Bloemfontein Celtic in the other semi-final tie.

SuperSport progressed to the last four after edging out Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila 3-2 in an entertaining encounter at Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Bradley Grobler, Ghampani Lungu and Iqraam Rayners all netted for Matsatsantsa and TTM's two goals were scored by Mogakolodi Ngele.

Matsatsantsa are the defending champions and they are looking to become the first club to retain the trophy since Pirates in 2011.

Celtic advanced to the semi-finals after causing an upset by defeating the reigning PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday night.

Victor Letsoalo's late goal inspired Siwelele to an impressive win over Masandawana and Celtic will be hoping to win the MTN8 trophy for the first time this season.

The Premier Soccer League will announce the dates and venues in due course.