Tashreeq Matthews ready for Mamelodi Sundowns’ Fifa Club World Cup challenge

Tashreeq Matthews is buzzing with excitement as Mamelodi Sundowns prepare to compete in the Fifa Club World Cup in the US in the coming weeks.

Since returning to South African football one and a half seasons ago, Matthews has worked hard to prove his worth after a challenging spell overseas. Now, he’s a key figure in Sundowns’ success story, helping the club secure back-to-back league titles and a place on the global stage.

The Brazilians will make their first appearance at the tournament since 2016. They are in Group F alongside Ulsan Hyundai, Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense.

Matthews has extensive background knowledge of German giants Dortmund, having spent seven years in their junior ranks, despite being regularly sent out on loan. As the prospect of facing his former club looms large for the 24-year-old, he revealed how he felt before the Brazilians’ departure on Sunday afternoon.

“Some of the players I played with are on loan, and others have been transferred to other teams, but I think there are still one or two who remain with the team,” Matthews explained.

“The guys who still work there, I am still in contact with them. So, I am very excited. It’s always exciting for me to play against a former team.”

Matthews’ ability to adapt quickly at Sundowns has been remarkable, given the star-studded nature of the team and the already existing partnerships between senior players.

“When I arrived, I saw how much of a team we are at Sundowns,” he said of his impression of the club. “The brotherhood we have in the changing room makes us stronger.”

Matthews’ first 18 months at Sundowns could have been even bigger and better, but the team fell at the final hurdle in the Champions League, losing to Pyramids.

The two-legged affair, which ended in a 3-2 loss on aggregate, was understandably a bitter pill to swallow for the players, including Matthews.

The attacker was substituted seven minutes before half-time in the first leg, which ended 1-1 at Loftus Versfeld, in Hatfield. After working his way back into the starting line-up for the second leg, he missed a close-range shot in the first half which could have swung the tie in Sundowns’ favour.

Nevertheless, that is behind the team now as they set their sights on the global showpiece, where they want to improve on their group stage finish in 2016.

“Obviously, it was a disappointment,” Matthews reflected on the loss in the final. “It was very difficult after the match, and it’s still tough even now.

“The first few days after were the worst – but at the end of the day, we still have another competition that we are going to play in, and we will try to do our best to do well.”

Sundowns will be underdogs in Group F, as their rivals – Ulsan of Korea Republic, Dortmund of Germany and Fluminense of Brazil – have players who compete in European competitions.

However, Matthews is not worried. He insists that they didn’t qualify for the competition by fluke, and their opponents will underestimate them at their own peril.

“It will be very difficult. If you look at these teams, we’ll be competing against the best clubs from all around the world,” Matthews added. “So, it will be difficult for any team.”