Ghana's Asante Kotoko would have to look ahead for better times in next season's CAF Champions League competition after failing to reach the finals of the Confederation Cup.

Kotoko, who picked one of the two places for the next season's competition after winning the domestic league title were beaten 2-1 in Sudan in the final Group A match of the Confederation Cup competition.

The latter part of Kotoko's campaign had been fraught with disciplinary problems and internal strife as Sudanese side, Al Merreikh beat the Porcupine Warriors to take third position while the Ghanaians finished bottom.

Asante Kotoko effectively ended their Confederation Cup title hopes after drawing 2-2 at home with Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel in the penultimate group match.

The Porcupine Warriors ended the campaign with 7 points from a possible 18.

The result cost the Ghanaian league champions the opportunity to claim the $330,000 first prize on offer.

The two-leg final decider comes up in November between the two group winners.

Etoile reached the final of the 2008 Confederation Cup after beating Algeria's JS Kabylie 2-0 on Saturday.

Etoile, who won last year's Champions League, will know their opponents for the final when defending champions CS Sfaxien take on Tunisian rivals Club Africain in group A on Sunday.