‘Too criticised’: Miguel Cardoso comes out fighting for Mamelodi Sundowns star Tashreeq Matthews

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is advocating for stronger backing for Tashreeq Matthews, arguing that the forward's errors should not overshadow his valuable contributions to the team. Matthews stepped up in Sundowns' recent Betway Premiership win over AmaZulu, earning Man of the Match honors. However, he has not always been well-received by the club's fans, who have at times expressed frustration when opportunities seemed to slip away despite Matthews' efforts.

Cardoso feels that the criticism directed at Matthews has been unjustified and wants people to focus more on how he reacts to setbacks instead of dwelling on missed chances. He highlighted instances where Matthews could have scored in crucial matches, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Bafana Bafana and Sundowns' CAF Champions League final against Pyramids.

Cardoso believes that how Matthews responds to failures speaks volumes about his character, rather than the mistakes themselves. The coach emphasized that what truly matters is the player's reaction after making an error, not the mistake itself. As Sundowns face more tough matches ahead, including the upcoming MTN8 game, Cardoso believes this message is especially relevant for Matthews.

While acknowledging the need for improvement and learning from mistakes, Cardoso stresses that this process should be supported rather than constantly criticized. For Matthews, scoring goals is just one part of the challenge. He must also maintain the confidence and personality to remain a key player for Sundowns as they vie for multiple trophies.

After his latest strong performance against AmaZulu, Cardoso is keen for Matthews to be evaluated based on the bigger picture, not just the opportunities he misses.