Ghana midfielder Kwasi Sibo and his Al Swehly teammates have missed out on a place in the group stage of the CAF Champions League after losing to Tunisia’s Esperance on penalties.

Al Swehly went into Saturday’s second-leg encounter in Tunis with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Libya, but they were unable to protect their lead as Esperance secured a 1-0 victory to level the tie at 1-1 on aggregate.

Imad Faraj scored the decisive goal in the eighth minute to give the Tunisian side hope of progressing to the next stage of Africa’s premier club competition.

With neither side able to find another goal, the contest was decided by a penalty shootout.

Esperance proved more clinical from the spot, converting three of their four attempts, while Al Swehly managed just one successful kick from four to suffer a heartbreaking exit from the competition.

The result means Esperance will advance to the Champions League group stage, with the draw scheduled to take place in Cairo next week.

For Sibo and his teammates, the defeat represents a setback in their quest to compete among Africa’s leading clubs this season.

However, the former Real Oviedo midfielder is expected to remain focused on helping Al Swehly achieve their domestic objectives following the disappointment.

Sibo could also turn his attention to international football, with the midfielder expected to be in contention for a place in Ghana’s squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Somalia next month.

The Black Stars will be looking to improve their position in the qualifying campaign as they seek to strengthen their chances of securing a place at the tournament after a disappointing.