Cardoso slams South African football as Sundowns held by Chippa in ‘horrible conditions’
Miguel Cardoso did not hide his anger after Mamelodi Sundowns were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw Betway Premiership with Chippa United at Buffalo City Stadium on Saturday evening.
Antonio van Wyk scored with the last kick of the game, but the Sundowns coach spent his post-match comments on TV attacking the pitch and South African football rather than celebrating the point.
Chippa had moved the fixture to East London after Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium failed inspection — a decision Cardoso found hard to accept given the surface they actually played on.
“These fans, they deserved something different. It’s like you invite them to coem to your home and then you give them nothing to eat. Horrible, horrible conditions to play football,” he said.
He then widened the argument to South Africa’s 2030 World Cup co-hosting plans with Morocco.
“I remember that after the World Cup, South Africa said that they would reduce the distance from Morocco, but no not with these conditions.
“The distance from Morocco will increase more and more because Morocco understands that conditions to play football on bring better games, increase the level of the players and allows the national team to get better.
“There is a hell of a job for Mr Pitso Mosimane to do in the future, if the best teams play in these pitches. It’s not proper to play football.”
On the result itself, Cardoso said Sundowns had done enough to win despite the conditions.
“We did our best, we fought despite the conditions. I think we were committed to take all the three points from here,” he said.
“And for sure in the end were are rewarded but the reward came very late, considering what the boys did during the match.”
The draw limited Sundowns to just one point, and denied them a chance to stretch their lead at the top to nine points.
Sundowns will now go on a long break as their next game is the MTN8 final on October 10 against Orlando Pirates.
