Cardoso questions fairness after Sundowns held by Chippa on ‘muddy’ pitch

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has criticised Chippa United for moving their league match to Buffalo City Stadium, describing the KuGompo surface as “muddy” and questioning whether South African football is being managed fairly.

The fixture had originally been set for Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, but the league ruled that conditions at the Gqeberha venue, including the pitch, were unsuitable.

Cardoso said he could not understand why Chippa had chosen the 16,000-capacity Buffalo City Stadium rather than Kings Park Stadium in Durban, where the Gqeberha-based club hosted Orlando Pirates last month.

He also suggested there could be political considerations behind the decisions over venues.

“I don’t want to make many comments. I think people need to think about the purpose, the intention and the direction they want for SA football; that’s the only thing,” Cardoso told the media after the match.

“There is a country in Africa that is different from other ones, Morocco. Just go there and watch what kind of politics and the direction of the development of the game [has taken]; and how conditions have been created so that the players [can] perform [at a] high level.

“And that is the direction that football has to take in SA because you cannot take one team to play in Durban in a big stadium and take the other to play here.”

Sundowns appeared to be heading for defeat before Antonio Van Wyk scored with the final kick of the game to secure a 1-1 draw.

Chippa had taken the lead in the 78th minute through defender Sirgio Kammies, who had been introduced only four minutes earlier.

Cardoso also questioned Golden Arrows’ decision to stage their two consecutive matches against Sundowns at King Zwelithini Stadium, while moving their home fixture against Kaizer Chiefs to Mbombela Stadium on Sunday.

“You cannot go to Polokwane against Magesi on one pitch [Seshego Stadium last season] and take the other to another [vs Pirates at New Peter Mokaba Stadium],” he said.

“You cannot play two times against Arrows on the pitch we played, and immediately after, you take another team that is competing with us to a top stadium. So, there is something behind the sport policy that I don’t understand. But it is not my job to understand; you must go deeper on that and see the level of fairness.

“What I know is that in other countries things are not like this. This is not a football pitch; it is muddy.”

Sundowns will next turn their attention to the Fifa intercontinental competition, when they face Al-Ahli Saudi at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday at 3pm.