Zimbabwean champions Simba Bhora have bowed out of the CAF Champions League after a dramatic 4–2 penalty shootout defeat to Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs at Somhlolo Stadium on Sunday.
The tie had ended 1–1 on aggregate, forcing the lottery of penalties, where the hosts held their nerve to advance.
Simba Bhora carried a slender advantage into the second leg following their 1–0 win in the first leg at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown, Botswana, last weekend.
But they failed to protect that lead, conceding a stoppage-time goal in Eswatini to level the contest and eventually crash out.
Nsingizini Hotspurs will now face Tanzanian giants Simba SC in the second preliminary round, with a coveted group-stage spot at stake.
For Simba Bhora, the focus now returns to defending their Premier Soccer League title. The Shamva-based side trail log leaders Scottland by just a point and still have a game in hand against Triangle United, with five matches left in the campaign.
Their early exit, however, has once again raised questions about the declining standards of Zimbabwean football.
Not long ago, the country was strong enough to send two clubs into the CAF Champions League, while Dynamos famously reached the final—only to lose under controversial circumstances.
Simba Bhora’s elimination at the hands of a side from Eswatini shows just how far the domestic game has slipped.
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