Kwasi Sibo misses out on CAF Champions League group stage with Al Swehly after penalty shootout loss to Esperance

Ghana midfielder Kwasi Sibo and his Al Swehly teammates have been eliminated from the CAF Champions League after losing to Tunisian giants Esperance on penalties in the second preliminary round.

Al Swehly headed into Saturday’s return leg in Tunis with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Libya, but suffered a 1-0 defeat to leave the tie level at 1-1 on aggregate.

Imad Faraj scored the only goal of the return fixture in the eighth minute to bring Esperance level in the tie and force the contest into a penalty shootout.

Al Swehly struggled from the spot, converting just one of their four attempts, while Esperance scored three of their four kicks to secure qualification for the group stage.

The Tunisian side will now feature in the group phase of Africa’s premier club competition, with the draw scheduled to take place in Cairo next week.

The defeat represents a setback for Sibo and Al Swehly, who had hoped to progress to the group stage after taking a narrow advantage into the second leg.

Despite the disappointment, the former Real Oviedo midfielder is expected to turn his attention to helping Al Swehly achieve their objectives for the remainder of the season.

Sibo could also be in contention for a place in Ghana’s squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as the Black Stars seek to improve their position in the campaign against Somalia next month after a disappointing start.

His performances at club level could prove important as Ghana assess their options ahead of the next round of qualifying fixtures.