Esteghlal will face Al-Gharafa of Qatar on Tuesday in the second week of the Asian Elite League, a match that reminds the Blues of a sweet memory from two seasons ago. The last encounter between Esteghlal and Al-Gharafa took place at the Shahid Shahrudi Stadium in Qods City, where the team led by Javad Nekounam managed to defeat their Qatari opponent 3-0 and started the Elite League with a victory.
A Sweet Memory of Victory
That match progressed in favor of Esteghlal with an own goal from Abdullah Youssef, a player from Al-Gharafa. Subsequently, Ramin Rezaiyan scored the second goal with a pass from Mehrdad Mohammadi, and Arash Rezavand also scored the third goal for the Blues using a pass from Abolfazl Jalali, allowing Esteghlal to have a powerful start in the Asian competitions. This victory was significant not only for Esteghlal fans but for all of Iranian football.
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Changes in the Esteghlal Team
Interestingly, none of the influential players from that victory are currently present in Esteghlal, and their football paths have diverged from this team. Arash Rezavand now plays for Sepahan, Abolfazl Jalali is with Persepolis, and Ramin Rezaiyan and Mehrdad Mohammadi have also joined Foolad. Javad Nekounam, the then head coach of Esteghlal, is currently managing Tractor. These changes clearly indicate the extensive transformations that have occurred within the Esteghlal team.
Additionally, from the starting lineup of that match, Seyed Hossein Hosseini, Milad Zakipour, Saman Fallah, Rafael Silva, Ramin Rezaiyan, Zobair Niknaf, Didier Ndong, Roozbeh Cheshmi, Mohammad Hossein Islami, Jalaluddin Masharipov, and Gustavo Blanco took the field, but among these eleven players, only Roozbeh Cheshmi, Masharipov, and Islami are still with Esteghlal. These changes show that Esteghlal is facing new challenges and must confront opponents with its new lineup.
Thus, Sohrab Bakhtiyari Zadeh must face Al-Gharafa with a different team from the victorious Esteghlal of that match. Most of the players who played a role in the previous 3-0 win are no longer with the Blues, and the current lineup must strive to earn three points under new conditions and personnel. This situation reflects the challenges ahead for the head coach and players of Esteghlal, who must adapt to the new circumstances and seek new successes.
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