Hearts' Rogers Mato opens up on Mo Salah and the big decision behind his left-back display
Ugandan winger had a fine game in defence against Trabzonspor
Not since the age of 12 had Rogers Mato operated at full-back, yet the Hearts winger looked a seasoned veteran in the position marking the legendary Mo Salah. Thursday’s UEFA Conference League tie at Trabzonspor saw the visitors stretched with injuries, leading to an inspired decision to use Mato as an emergency left-back. It was one for which the Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken deserved credit.
Salah finished the match with a goal from the penalty spot and an assist to his name as Trabzonspor won 2-0. For Hearts, that result was no disgrace given they were without seven first-team players due to injury. Mato kept Salah in check for the majority of the evening at Papara Park, and in the process proved himself a realistic option at full-back for the future. Harry Milne’s knee injury could rule him out until next season, leaving Stephen Kingsley as the only recognised left-back at Tynecastle.
Mato, a 23-year-old Ugandan international winger, revealed that he hadn’t played in defence for 11 years. “I last played right-back in the juniors league,” he explained. “I used to play right-back before they moved me up front because of my pace. I was 12 at the time. It was the last time I played there, but they saw I had the speed and had to move me up front.”
Crucially, Vrancken waited until the morning of the match before telling Mato he would be marking Salah. It was a clever bit of management. “He told me during the morning walk. He explained the tactics and how I needed to move,” said Mato. “It was good he told me in the morning and I didn’t lose any sleep. If he had told me the previous night that I would be marking Mo Salah, then I wouldn’t have slept.
“He is the best player in Africa, was the top scorer in the Premier League and is a top player. Playing against him is a dream come true. It boosts my confidence as a player and us as a team because they are a good team if truth be told. It is great to get these experiences against top players. The way he moves - one touch and he moves quickly - marking him is hard.
“Now I know what goes on with defenders and full-backs when I try to take them on. He just gave me a hug and wished us all the best for the next games at the end. It is good to hear that from such players and big names. It gives us a bit more confidence to believe in yourself and each other as a team.”
Mato didn’t ask for Salah’s shirt, although one Hearts player did manage to grab himself the much sought-after memorabilia. “I tried to but I didn’t get it. I think Calvin [Miller] got it,” smiled Mato. The winger received plenty admiration for his performance while out of position in a difficult European away match. The aforementioned speed ensured Salah could not get away from him in one-versus-one situations. Due to Hearts’ relentless injury troubles, it may not be the last time we see Mato deployed as a defender.
“Yes, so many injuries,” acknowledged the player. “God decided, so we have to cope with it. It will be the gaffer who decides if I am more of a help in the backline or up front. I will just go with his decision. We have injuries and we will just have to go with his decision. It will be the gaffer’s decision whether or not I get more minutes. Like I said, I will go with his decision. I am a player and I have to question him sometimes, but it is his decision at the end of the day.”
Vrancken’s decisions don’t get any easier for Sunday’s Premiership visit to Motherwell. Milne is out and Christian Borchgrevink was forced off with a hamstring problem against Trabzonspor. Nonetheless, Hearts are returning from Trabzon with some encouragement from their performance following last week’s 7-1 drubbing against Celtic.
“We need to bounce back from what we have had in the last two games. It has not been good for us,” said Mato. “We need to come back stronger and 100 per cent. These are only small setbacks in football and life. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and sometimes you draw. We need to step up for ourselves to come back for our brothers who are injured. We need to be there for them. If you saw the way things went in the Celtic game, they didn’t go well in our side. The players tried to come back and build the confidence. I think the confidence has come back for the next game.”