Hilal lifted Crown Prince Cup after edging Al-Ittifaq 2-0 in the final at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh on Friday. It was never going to be an easy for Riyadh giants against former champion Al-Ittifaq, but two strikes from Yasser Al-Qahtani and Taeiq Al-Taib saw Al-Hilal clinch its 7th Prince Cup title. Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of Riyadh, handed over the cup and gold medals to Al-Hilal players on behalf of Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General. Beside the cup, Al-Hilal won SR2,500,000 while Al-Ittifaq claimed silver medals and the second place cash prize of SR1,500,000. Only seven minutes after the kick-off, the 2007 AFC Player of the Year Al-Qahtani welcomed the visitors with a 20-yard shot that hit the right side of Adnan Al-Salman. Al-Qahtani brilliantly controlled a long ball on chest leaving two defenders behind before he blasted the ball. After 15 minutes, Al-Ittifaq regained its composure when Saleh Basher sent a long ball just few inches wide off Mohammed Al-Deayea's right post. Al-Ittifaq srikers Basher and Ghanaian Prince Tagoe were trapped inside Al-Hilal's area and they were unable to create any real chance. In the 36th minute, Libyan midfielder Tariq Al-Taib doubled the lead as he converted a penalty into Al-Salman's net. It was Brazilian Marcel Tavares who earned Al-Hilal the penalty after he was brought down inside the box. Mohammed Al-Shalhoub had an opportunity to add another goal in the dying minutes of the first half after he lobbed the ball over an advancing goalkeeper Al-Salman but it hit the bar. After the break, Al-Ittifaq controlled the ball in the midfield but Al-Hilal players stood its challenge. Portuguese coach Tony Oliveira of Al-Ittifaq tried to apply more pressure by making changes in his squad. In the 56th minute, Ahmed Al-Fraidi of Al-Hilal failed to find the net after Al-Taib's cross inside the box. Again the cross bar denied the goal. With 15 minutes remaining, Al-Hilal's Romanian coach Cosmin Olaroiu fielded Abdul Latif Al-Ghanam, Fahd Al-Moubarak and Lelo to seal the result. With this win Al-Hilal booked a place in the new King Fahd Cup for Champions where the winners of the three Saudi competitions beside six teams from the league play after the season. __
