According to "Varzesh 3", the departure of Abolfazl Jalali was one of the most controversial transfer stories of Esteghlal. The defender, who had played on the left flank of the Blues for years, chose a different path at the end of the season and joined Persepolis. However, the performances of Hossein Goodarzi have been so solid and impactful that few people have spoken about Jalali's empty spot in Esteghlal's lineup in recent weeks.
One of Goodarzi's best performances took place in the crucial match against Tractor. By penetrating from the left flank and delivering a precise cross, he set up Saeid Saharkhizan in a scoring position, and the Esteghlal striker opened Alireza Beiranvand's goal with a technical side-foot shot.
A few days later in the AFC Champions League Elite, Goodarzi went a step further and scored himself against Al-Gharafa of Qatar. His shot in the 60th minute became Esteghlal's second goal and played a major role in the Blues' 2-1 victory.
Goodarzi's impact continued against Chadormalou, even though his passes did not result in goals. The most significant moment occurred in the 31st minute when Goodarzi put Saharkhizan through one-on-one with Hojjat Sedghi via a precise pass from behind the defenders. The Esteghlal striker's chip shot went past the goalkeeper, but Aref Gholami cleared the ball off the line. At the end of the first half, he sent another dangerous through ball, but Sedghi's timely rush prevented the ball from reaching Saharkhizan.
Speed, stamina, accurate crosses, and Goodarzi's ability to find forwards with through balls have turned Esteghlal's left flank into one of the team's primary attacking routes. In Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh's three-at-the-back system, he has more freedom to surge forward, and with an Asian goal, a crucial assist against Tractor, and several created chances in Yazd, he has shown he is fully prepared. With this performance, Goodarzi has ensured that Jalali's controversial departure is quickly removed from Esteghlal's tactical concerns.
Source: Varzesh 3
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