The match, set for Tuesday at Olympia Park Stadium, takes place just three days before Mamelodi Sundowns’ pivotal CAF Champions League quarterfinal against Stade Malien.
The Portuguese tactician expressed frustration over both the timing and the venue. Orbit College were forced to host early-season matches at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto after Olympia Park was initially deemed non-compliant, but the stadium has since reopened.
Cardoso believes that playing at Olympia Park, on a surface he described as suboptimal, could disrupt Sundowns’ preparations for a pivotal continental clash.
“What I think is that South Africa needs to understand what it is that they want,” Cardoso said.
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“I will give you an example: how is it possible that we will play on Tuesday after trying to change the date of this match? The only thing that happened is that we are going to play on a pitch where the conditions are even worse, and then two days later, we must play a Champions League quarterfinal.”
Cardoso drew comparisons with European leagues, noting that France recently rescheduled fixtures to ensure clubs like PSG could compete in the Champions League in optimal condition. He hinted that some South African clubs might enjoy more favourable scheduling when competing in CAF competitions.
“It’s like water is water for some and for some it’s wine, and I really don’t understand it,” he added.
With the Premiership race with Orlando Pirates heating up, Cardoso faces a delicate balancing act in deciding how to rotate his squad for the two-hour trip to the North West Province while keeping his team fresh for Africa’s premier club competition.