Miguel Cardoso urges support for Mamelodi Sundowns forward Tashreeq Matthews

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says Tashreeq Matthews has been “too criticised” and should be judged by how he responds to missed chances, rather than being defined by them.

The 25-year-old forward produced a standout performance in Sundowns’ Betway Premiership win over AmaZulu at Loftus Stadium on Wednesday, earning the Man of the Match award.

That display came ahead of Sunday’s MTN8 clash, with Cardoso hoping Matthews’ contribution against AmaZulu will encourage greater support from the club’s supporters.

Matthews’ time at Sundowns has included moments of frustration, particularly when he has failed to convert opportunities. His relationship with the Sundowns faithful has consequently been uneven, despite the important contributions he has made since joining the club.

Cardoso believes the criticism directed at the forward has sometimes gone too far. The Portuguese coach accepts that Matthews must learn from his mistakes, but says his reaction after disappointment is a more revealing measure of his character.

“I also think that Tashreeq is too criticised, too criticised because sometimes he wants to do well. I know that in the World Cup there was a goal he could have scored, in the final against Pyramids there was a goal he could have scored,” Cardoso said.

The Sundowns manager was referring to incidents that have continued to shape the discussion around Matthews, including missed opportunities with Bafana Bafana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and during Sundowns’ CAF Champions League final against Pyramids.

However, Cardoso said the key issue was not the chances Matthews had failed to take, but whether he continued to contribute after those setbacks.

“Yes, there was but the question isn’t the one that he didn’t score, it’s the ones that he scores after he fails because today I embraced him and told him exactly that,” he added.

“It’s not important after you fail, it’s important how you react that speaks for you, not the mistake you made.”

Cardoso’s comments come as Sundowns prepare for another demanding phase of their campaign, beginning with Sunday’s MTN8 fixture. The match offers Matthews another chance to build on his performance against AmaZulu and strengthen his connection with supporters.

The coach said mistakes should be reduced and used as opportunities for improvement, but warned that constant criticism could make that development more difficult.

“Mistakes you have to avoid and obviously grow from them but how you show your character as you finish the match continuously playing the way he had to play and this is how we need to support our players.”

For Matthews, the challenge is about more than simply adding goals to his record. He must also retain the confidence and personality needed to remain influential in a Sundowns team competing for trophies on several fronts.

Cardoso’s message is that the forward’s value should be assessed across the whole performance, including his response when a chance does not go in. His latest showing against AmaZulu gave the coach evidence of that resilience, and he now wants Matthews to receive the backing required to maintain that level.

The forward will therefore enter Sunday’s MTN8 clash with an opportunity not only to make another decisive contribution, but also to change the focus around him from the chances he has missed to the impact he continues to make for Mamelodi Sundowns.