Esteghlal faced Paykan in the Hazfi Cup while dealing with severe defensive shortages. The suspension of Rafael Silva and Saleh Hardani, along with injuries to Iman Salimi and Mohammad Hossein Moradmand, left new head coach Mojtaba Jabari with limited options. However, the young manager implemented an interesting solution.

When Esteghlal’s starting lineup was announced, it became clear that Jabari had placed his trust in a talented young player rather than using out-of-position players.

Zargham Saadavi, who joined Esteghlal from Foolad Khuzestan at the start of the season, made his first start and justified the coaching staff’s faith in him.

Saadavi not only excelled in aerial duels and one-on-one situations but also made a crucial last-ditch tackle in the first half that saved Esteghlal from conceding. Without this intervention, the Blues might have faced another disappointing night against first-division side Paykan.

In the 29th minute, during a swift counterattack by Paykan, Ali Akbar Ranjbar delivered a brilliant cross to Reza Rezaei, who found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The Paykan striker quickly shot, but Saadavi’s perfectly timed tackle diverted the ball away from the goal, denying the first-division top scorer.

The 19-year-old defender demonstrated great potential with his quick reactions and will likely earn more playing time in future matches. Undoubtedly, this performance has caught the attention of Mojtaba Jabari and his assistants, who may give the young defender more opportunities.