Simba Bhora booted out of Champions League

Simba Bhora's first-ever CAF Champions League adventure ended in heartbreak on Sunday after they were eliminated by Eswatini's Nsingizini Hotspurs in a dramatic preliminary round tie decided on penalties.

The Zimbabwean debutants had carried a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg played in Francistown, Botswana, last weekend. However, their hosts struck deep into stoppage-time in the return fixture to level the contest 1-1 on aggregate and force a penalty shootout.

Nsingizini had earlier missed a golden opportunity to equalise when they failed to convert a penalty awarded for handball, but they maintained the pressure and were eventually rewarded with a late goal that changed the complexion of the tie.

In the shootout, Simba Bhora faltered under pressure, managing to score only twice from the spot, while the Eswatini side converted four of their kicks to seal passage into the next round.

Despite their exit, Simba Bhora were commended for their resilience across the two legs of their maiden campaign, which provided valuable experience on the continental stage. For Nsingizini, the victory marked another step forward in their promising continental journey.