Ahli players and fans celebrated on Thursday morning their third GCC Champions League title at the team's avenue here. The 2-0 victory over Al-Nasr in the final match at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, turned Al-Rehab district here into a beehive as many fans flocked to the club to celebrate the win with the players and many high-profile officials in the team's management. Shortly after Prince Sultan Bin Fahd, Chairman of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare and head of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, handed over the championship trophy and the gold medals to Al-Ahli players, a private jet took the GCC champions to King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah. A huge police force put things in order near the airport and in Al-Tahliah Street where the club is located. Hassan Al-Raheb and Badr Al-Kharashi who scored the goals were received by officials by handing flowers for their great efforts. Al-Raheb, however, was the hero who sealed the 1-0 win in the first leg match in Jeddah on Nov. 28. Badr Al-Kharashi highlighted the importance of the win as it came after five years from the last cups won by the Jeddah side. Al-Kharashi said that the psychological preparation of Al-Ahli boosted the team in the final to win the cup. Al-Kahrashi expected the victory. “Once I entered the match I was sure that I will score, thanks to my teammates' efforts and help,” Al-Kharashi said. Al-Ahli captain Saheb Al-Abdullah said that the cup was a perfect award to the team's campaign in the championship that kicked off last August. Al-Ahli qualified for the final after topping Group A with seven points, two wins and a draw. The team was lucky to find itself in the final after the organizing committee slashed the semifinal round following the disqualification of two Kuwaiti teams due to FIFA's ban on Kuwait Football Federation. Besides the $500,000 cash prize that was awarded to Al-Ahli, the players will receive about SR90,000 as contributions from board members. News in Riyadh was almost the same but different in reaction as many fans of Al-Nasr gathered in front of the club's main gate. The angry fans wanted the club to sack the Serbian coach Radan after he failed to lead the team to win. President of Al-Nasr, Prince Faisal Bin Abdul Rahman promised his side's fans to solve the problems soon while he referred the decision of sacking coach to the board of the club. Nine teams from five GCC nations participated in the championship which was dominated by Saudi clubs. Six Saudi teams have won the GCC Cup - Al-Ahli (three times), Al-Ittifaq (3), Al-Hilal (2), Al-Shabab (2), Al-Nasr (2) and Al
