Tusker exit Caf Confederations Cup

Kenyan champions, Tusker, have been sent packing from the Caf Confederation Cup after crashing 1-0 to CS Sfaxien of Tunisia in the second leg encounter of the playoffs stage at Taieb Mhiri Stadium on Sunday.

Aymen Harzi’s 35th-minute effort from the spot after Maaroufi was brought down in the area – was all the hosts needed to barge past their hard-fighting East African opponents.

Tusker were eager to prove their mettle in the second tier of the continental showpiece following their heartbreaking demotion from the Champions League after falling to Egyptian giants, Zamalek, but it turned out to be a bad day in office.

Boniface Muchiri stumbled on a glorious opportunity to put the brewers in the driving seat from a set-piece early in the game after Jackson Macharia was sent tumbling down, but the Ulinzi Stars-bound offensive midfielder blasted his delivery straight onto the formidable Tunisian wall.

Then Jackson Macharia squandered a sitter after successfully coming on the end of a pinpoint Daniel Sakari throw-in as another glaring opportunity went begging.

Mohamed Salih’s attempt to double Sfaxien’s advantage in the 48th minute proved futile after he scooped his effort wide with Tusker custodian Brian Bwire already beaten.

Eager to make a difference, Tusker’s head gaffer Robert Matano effected a double substitution in the 75th minute when he brought on Shami Kibwana and Teddy Osok for Humphrey Mieno and Jackson Macharia.

Tusker’s exit marked the end of Kenya’s campaign in the continental showpiece after Gor Mahia were also bundled out by Otoho d Oyo of Congo at Nyayo Stadium earlier in the day.