Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Sibusiso Vilakazi has shed light on club legend Surprise Moriri’s influence on Tashreeq Matthews’ game.
Matthews is, arguably, coach Miguel Cardoso’s most trusted player, featuring in all Sundowns’ 27 Betway Premiership matches this season. In those games, the winger has managed to score six goals while also weighing in with four assists.
He has, however, contributed just one goal in 11 CAF Champions League matches and could not find the back of the net in five Cup games. In the outings the former Borussia Dortmund youth player does not score, he has endured criticism.
But Vilakazi sees Matthews contributing in those matches by making runs that create spaces for fellow attackers.
MATTHEWS’ QUALITIES EXAMINED BY VILAKAZI
Arriving at Sundowns in January 2024 after spending close to six years in Europe plying his trade in Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, Matthews has shown traits of a player who completed his development phase in strong football systems.
The speedy wideman grabbed a beautiful goal when Masandwana beat Polokwane City 3-0 last Sunday. Vilakazi runs through Matthews’ goal, which saw him beat a defender to cut in, before sending in a curler that gave Rise and Shine goalkeeper Lindokuhle Mathebula no chance.
“I think sometimes you get bashed because of the last moment. You don’t get bashed in terms of the other things in between, speak about when we try to make certain movements,” Vilakazi said on the Mamelodi Sundowns Pitchside Podcast.
“He makes the run to make that space. Sometimes you don’t see that. You want to see the last part, which is sometimes in those moments you would have been the last person to hit that ball.
“And then of course we go to that [goal against Polokwane City], but in that moment, two moves he had made prior to that. He had made two good runs, but with this one, for me, it’s a build-up from that turning point of that goal he had scored.
“So, this is a build-up and the time he has spent trying to work on the cutting in and finishing with the curler. It was so beautiful such that it was ‘this is it’ for me.”
THE WIND BENEATH MATTHEWS’ WINGS REVEALED
While still marvelling and detailing Matthews’ goal, Vilakazi explains the role played by Sundowns development coach Moriri in shaping Matthews.
“I was waiting, especially in one-on-one. I was like, ‘This has to be the moment, Matthews, this has to be your moment.’ For me, now this is where we need to see what you have been doing in practice, and it came out beautifully,” Vilakazi went on.
“If he had missed that, I was going to say I don’t know which was you are going to get from this one. For me, just to make that run is an effort.
“It’s the commitment, he sees it that this is the moment for me that I have been working so hard behind trying to work with Surprise. Trying to work on that finishing because I have seen a couple of times when they stay behind with Surprise trying to get into those moments from the right side, trying to cut and curl it.”
Even the January arrival of Monnapule Saleng has not challenged Matthews to limit his game time, even though the former Orlando Pirates star’s time at Sundowns has been hampered by fitness issues. However, should Saleng regain full fitness and hit top form, that might push Matthews to further improve on his game and remain a Masandawana regular starter.
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