Al Rayyan players celebrate with the trophy after beating Al Shabab in the final.
Doha, Qatar: Al Rayyan delivered a strong second-half performance to thrash Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab 3-0 in the final and lift the Gulf Club Champions League (GCCL) trophy at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium yesterday.
David Garcia, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Roger Guedes scored in the second half to delight the home fans, as Vicente Moreno-coached Al Rayyan secured their second title within ten days after beating Muaither in the QSL Cup final last week.
Al Rayyan goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada also played a key role in the victory, making crucial saves throughout the final.
“It was a team effort, and I am delighted to have helped my team in the final and to claim our second trophy this season,” said Abunada.
“Our home fans were a real motivation for us in the final. Their support played a crucial role in this victory.”
The title clash got off to a fast start, with both teams exchanging attacks, as Al Shabab looked sharper in the final third.
Mitrovic, who scored in the 2-0 semi-final win over Al Qadsia, stormed into the box midway through the opening quarter but failed to find the breakthrough.
For Al Shabab, Hammam Al-Hammami was in the thick of the action, constantly threatening the Al Rayyan defence.
He almost put Al Shabab ahead after latching onto a long ball, but Abunada showed excellent presence of mind to deny the Saudi side, as the deadlock persisted at half-time.
Al Rayyan returned strongly in the second half, with Al Shabab suffering a setback in the 58th minute when Yannick Carrasco was sent off after receiving his second yellow card of the match.
Garcia ended the stalemate three minutes later, rising highest to head home from a corner kick.
Ali Al-Bulayhi almost equalised shortly after the opener, but Abunada once again denied Al Shabab with a crucial save.
Mitrovic extended the lead with a running header from Rodrigo Moreno’s free kick in the 78th minute.
With Al Shabab pushing forward in search of a comeback, Guedes put the game beyond reach on a counterattack, with Mitrovic providing the assist for the Brazilian to score from close range.
The 2025-26 AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League featured eight top clubs from the region: (Qatar) Al Rayyan; (UAE) Al Ain; (Bahrain) Sitra; (Kuwait) Al Qadsia; (Saudi Arabia) Al Shabab; (Iraq) Zakho; (Oman) Al Nahda; and (Yemen) Tadamon Hadramaut.
Al Rayyan will now aim for a third-place finish in the Qatar Stars League as they face Al Arabi on Monday. They will then meet Al Wakrah SC in the Amir Cup quarter-finals on May 1.
“We will now celebrate our victory and then quickly shift our focus to the upcoming matches,” said Al Rayyan player Jassem Jaber.
“We are looking forward to strong results in our remaining challenges this season, and we are confident of doing well.”
