Cassius Mailula was an unused substitute on Sunday as he suited up for Toronto FC for the first time but saw his new club lose 3-2 in the Major League Soccer derby at home to CF Montreal.

The 22-year-old Mailula’s move was announced on July 28, but it took some time to process his transfer from Mamelodi Sundowns.

“It was tough to get here, but I’m finally here,” said Mailula. “I’m happy to be here. It was not easy, of course, but it was good for me to wait and be patient.”

“It was not an easy decision to take, but I feel like I need to get out of my comfort zone, to explore, to get closer to Europe,” he explained. “This is the right decision for my career, for my family also.”

“It will help me a lot,” Mailula added. “Everything is top. The facility is good, the coaches are good, the players are also good, so it will help me to improve myself and go to the next level.”

Interim coach Terry Dunfield was enthusiastic about what the young South African can offer the team “He can play anywhere across the front line. He takes the ball well, whether it's in behind the back-line or in between lines, really smoothly. He can set up goals, he can score goals. There's a youthful enthusiasm with how he plays, very creative. We’ve got a very good young player on our hands who is excited to be in Toronto.”

But he did not use him on Sunday as Toronto lost for a seventh straight match and remained near the foot of the Eastern Conference, unlikely to make the end of season playoffs.

Mathieu Choiniere scored twice to help Montreal to the win while ex-Italian international Federico Bernardeschi netted a brace for Toronto.