Al Shabab miss long‑awaited return to regional glory after Gulf Champions Cup final defeat
Saudi club Al Shabab lost their chance to return to overseas podiums after a long absence by falling 3–0 to Al Rayyan of Qatar in the Gulf Club Champions Cup final, held at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Doha. The match was marred by intense refereeing controversy surrounding the Emirati official Adel Al Naqbi, whom Al Shabab claimed ignored multiple clear penalty appeals and unjustly sent off Belgian international Yannick Carrasco after he protested Al Naqbi’s decisions.
Al Rayyan of Qatar were crowned champions of the Gulf Club Champions Cup for the first time, securing their second major title in less than a month, after winning the Qatar Stars Cup by defeating Muaither 2–0 in the final.
Match summary
Spanish defender David García opened the scoring for Al Rayyan in the 61st minute, before Serbian forward Aleksandar Mitrović doubled the lead in the 78th. Brazilian striker Roger Guedes completed the 3–0 rout in the 81st minute, sealing the trophy for the Qatari side.
The game also saw Al Shabab’s captain Yannick Carrasco sent off in the 59th minute, a decision that infuriated the Saudi delegation and fans, who argued that his reaction to the referee’s calls did not justify a red card.
Regional significance
Al Rayyan join their compatriot Al Sadd, who won the Gulf Club Champions Cup once before (in 1991), and overtake the regional achievement of fellow Qatari clubs Al Arabi, Qatar SC, and Al Khor, each of which reached the final three times but never lifted the title.
For Al Shabab, the defeat leaves their last major Gulf‑wide triumph in the distant past, underscoring the missed opportunity to end a long drought on the regional stage.
