The Brazilians bossed the possession at the FNB Stadium but only managed two shots on target throughout the match compared to four attempts from Amakhosi, who had the better chances to claim the win.
While this draw was Chiefs first dropped points of the new campaign, Cardoso's side started their campaign with a 1-1 draw with Chippa United, before winning two in a row against AmaZulu and Magesi.
They were also eliminated from the MTN8 in the semi-finals by Orlando Pirates on penalties after drawing both legs, and the pressure is certainly growing on Cardoso, with a number of fans calling for his head.
Speaking after the game, the Brazilians' boss said in the Citizen: "We drew twice with Orlando and Kaizer Chiefs, who were top of the table. So, I don't see us drawing against a third- or second-division team.
"What do you expect, that in these kinds of games we'll just arrive here and score five goals? Respect the opponent. You're respecting me, but not them. You're making them look worse than they are. These are very big teams."
Cardoso moved to allay fears of a difficult season to come by comparing their performances to those of last season.
"Last year, Orlando Pirates qualified for the CAF Champions League semi-final, if I remember correctly," he said. "We played them twice, and we didn't lose. Of course, we wanted to win, even away. But I don't think we were worse than Orlando Pirates.
"And with all due respect, we were not worse here — against a team that reinforced heavily, kept working hard, and had more than 65 000 fans behind them. We had our moments to control the match.
"So, please, why am I obliged to win every single game and be judged by that, when other people can draw and not face the same criticism?"
Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi was adamant that his side deserved more than a point after their 0-0 stalemate with defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns in Wednesday's Betway Premiership clash at FNB Stadium.
Kaizer Chiefs continued their unbeaten start to the Betway Premiership season with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns at a packed FNB Stadium on Wednesday night.
Kaizer Chiefs will put their perfect start to the 2025/26 Betway Premiership campaign to the test when they host reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns in a midweek showdown at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Kaizer Chiefs have confirmed the signing of midfielder Lebohang Maboe, the tenth new player to join the Soweto giants in this transfer window.
