Tusker FC’s dreams of qualifying for the 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup group stage fell short on Sunday evening after the SportPesa League side was held to a 1-1 draw by Tanzanian outfit Singida Black Stars in the second leg of the qualifying round.

The Brewers needed nothing short of a win in this return fixture, played at the Azam Complex, after Singida secured a 1-0 victory in the first leg in Nairobi.

Despite grabbing a late away goal through Victor Mbaoma, Tusker’s hopes were ultimately dashed as Jonathan Sowah’s second-half strike, coupled with Jeancy Mboma’s first-leg goal, sealed a 2-1 aggregate triumph for Singida, sending Papi Kimoto’s charges into the CAF Confed Cup group stage for a second consecutive time.

The opening half saw Tusker pushing forward in search of goals, while Singida also looked to strengthen their advantage. However, both sides remained deadlocked at the break.

The most notable attempt of the first 45 minutes came in the 17th minute when Ghanaian left-back Imoro Ibrahim unleashed a powerful left-footed effort that looked destined for the net, only for the ball to crash against the woodwork and deny the hosts an early breakthrough.

After the restart, Tusker resumed their hunt for an equaliser, but five minutes past the hour mark, Singida drew first blood.

A well-orchestrated passing moves saw the ball find first-leg scorer  Mboma on the left wing. He delivered a pinpoint cross into the box, where Sowah was on hand to tap home and hand the Tanzanian side the lead.

With ten minutes remaining before the 90-minute mark, however, the Brewers clawed their way back into the contest.

Substitute Aboud Omar stood over a free kick won just metres outside the 18-yard box and unleashed an effort towards the right corner.

Goalkeeper Yona Amosi parried the ball away, but Ian Simiyu reacted quickly to head it into Mbaoma’s path, allowing the forward to redirect it into the net and restore parity.

While Tusker pressured to get another goal or even the win, the Black Stars held their defence tight and held the slim aggregate win that sent them through to their second-ever group stage appearance and left Tusker to continue seeking their first.

Singida Black Stars vs Tusker FC: CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round, second-leg line-ups

• Singida Black Stars: Yona Amosi, Hussein Kazi, Ahmed Bakari Pipino, Ibrahim Imoro, Abdulmalik Zakaria, Andé Cirille Koffi, Emmanuel Keyekeh, Sagesse Nzaou, Jonathan Sowah, James Mwashinga, and Henry David.
• Tusker FC: Perrauld Ndinga, Eugen Ikurtwa, Thomas Teka, Aboubacar Doumbia, Servyl Akouala, Hassan Warsama, Victor Mbaoma, John Otieno, Stephen Otieno, Ian Simiyu, and Stephen Etyang.