Mamelodi Sundowns winger Tashreeq Matthews is wary of the threat Orlando Pirates poses ahead of the MTN8 final but insists the Brazilians are highly motivated to claim the trophy.

The Brazilians will face the defending champions in the MTN8 final at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium, with a coveted trophy up for grabs.

Sundowns will be determined to end their wait for MTN8 glory, having last lifted the trophy in 2021.

Matthews is also determined to carry his motivation from the recent Bafana Bafana camp into the final, with time spent alongside Pirates players on national duty adding extra incentive ahead of the highly anticipated showdown.

“Very good and strong team, they are the defending champions they have been doing well. They know how to win this MTN8,” Matthews said.

“We will try to do our best and at the end of the whoever is going to take their chances is going to win.”

“I’m very grateful and motivated as well and I just want to continue from where I was before I went to play for Bafana.

“We [Sundowns and Pirates players] didn’t talk about it [the final], when we were coming back at the end of the camp we said we will see one another at the weekend.

“We are really motivated, we were together at Bafana camp and we were around one another, and this has motivated us to get a victory.”