Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has shared his thoughts on Tashreeq Matthews’ performance against Polokwane City amid constant criticism of the player.
Matthews’ frequent inclusion in the starting line-up has, at times, been questioned by fans—including sections of the “Yellow Nation”—who have been critical of his recent displays.
However, the winger silenced his detractors on Sunday with an impressive showing against Rise and Shine, netting one of the goals in a 3-0 home victory.
Cardoso praised Matthews’ contribution, emphasising that his value to the squad goes beyond goal-scoring, citing the positive impact he consistently has on the team’s overall play.
“Obviously, we would like to have our wingers, our strikers to score many more goals, because obviously the more goals you get, the closer you’ll be to victories,” said Cardoso.
“But I don’t relate to the moment when one doesn’t score, I always try to see how they impact the performance of the team.
“And the performance of the team can be impacted by, obviously, the output that comes from goals or assists, but can come from diverse actions on the game that also allow others to create, to use spaces and use opportunities, and from there also give a second assist or a third assist pass.
“It’s the implication of the players on the dynamic of the team that for me is very important, and Tashreeq is very important on that. Like all the others, they understand a lot what we want to bring and adapt to different dynamics.
“Tashreeq was a player that in the previous match, he was sacrificed a lot because he was not 100% in condition, and we even put him to play from the bench, and he became important on those minutes he played.
“So, I’m pretty happy with the performance from him. I think he made in the last Champions League match, the best Champions League match I saw from him.
“The important thing is how he fights every day to be able to play how we want and give the team what we need from him, and he does it consistently.”
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