Sundowns coach Cardoso accuses Chiefs of rough play in 1-1 draw

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has accused Kaizer Chiefs of not setting up to play football during their brutal 1-1 draw at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday.

Cardoso claimed Siphesihle Ndlovu’s challenge on Keanu Cupido, which ended his season, was worse than Jayden Adams’ tackle on Mduduzi Shabalala, which saw him sent off, but Ndlovu didn’t see a red card.

Chiefs have confirmed that Shabalala is in hospital, while Adams wished him a speedy recovery.

Amakhosi took the lead through Flavio Silva before striker Bryan Leon equalised in the 55th minute, and the results saw Sundowns lead second-place Orlando Pirates by three points, who have a game in hand and superior goal difference.

Cardoso expressed frustration over the officiating after Cupido was stretched off with a broken arm.

“When he fell, the arm was already [broken]. Something is broken; that’s it. But he didn’t fall on his arm. When he fell, the arm was already broken,” Cardoso said.

“That is different from what happened to the player [Mduduzi Shabalala] from Kaizer Chiefs because there is an action that is a correct yellow card on Jayden.

“But when he falls, he gets injured in the arm. That is completely different.”

Cardoso also feels Chiefs were not there to play football but to kick his players, saying they did the same when they played Orlando Pirates last month.

We see a team that entered a pitch not to play football, just to kick players, and the referee let the game go.

—  Miguel Cardoso, Mamelodi Sundowns coach

“In these moments and after a match like this, a coach must have the capacity to focus on what is important and also make some analysis,” he said.

“I think you [the media] should also analyse things because in the past week we had two of the biggest matches that can be played in South Africa.

“We had Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs and then Mamelodi Sundowns vs Kaizer Chiefs, and I remember in this room you asked me many times about the level of the game in South Africa.

“After these two matches, you have an answer. That’s basically the conclusion that we have to draw; there is still a lot to develop in the game. Matches are always emotional.

“In the Pirates match, there were fights from the beginning, balls in the air, kicking in front, kicking behind, kicking players, kicking legs, kicking everything.

“So I don’t really think that is the best way to think about the future of the game here. That’s my first analysis, especially from the way the match started and how it was managed.

“We see a team that entered a pitch not to play football, just to kick players, and the referee let the game go. And because of that, we lost a player. A lot of duels were allowed.

“I think the game was, well, a very ugly game to see, when teams have the quality to play football and just kick it and kick it and kick it.”

Sundowns will look to bounce back to winning ways when they host Siwelele at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday at 5.30pm.

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