The Saba Sentinel
Player ratings10 Aug 2026
Nobody could get near Hossein Dejagah
Successful dribbles: 39. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Player ratings10 Aug 2026
Kaveh Taremi could not have asked for more on his first appearance — 7.34
Debuts are survived rather than enjoyed. This one was enjoyed: 7.34, 0 goals, and a manager already being asked whether he starts again next week.
Player ratings10 Aug 2026
No sign of nerves from Milad Hosseini at 21 — 7.87
The hardest thing about being 21 in a senior side is that nobody makes allowances. Milad Hosseini did not need any: 7.87, and he looked the most comfortable man on the pitch.
Squad10 Aug 2026
Milad Hosseini in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Saba this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Market10 Aug 2026
Eyes on Pejman Taremi again
The phone has started ringing about Pejman Taremi again, and this time the name on the line is Gostaresh Foulad. Saba are listening politely and promising nothing.
Match8 Aug 2026
Saba see off Saipa
Three points for Saba, 1‑0 the final word against Saipa in a contest settled by the finer margins.
Player ratings10 Aug 2026
Masoud Khodadad was on a different afternoon to everybody else
8.35. There are performances a supporter describes to somebody who was not there and cannot quite convey; this was one, and the number does not help either.
Squad10 Aug 2026
Saba count the cost of losing Ehsan Taremi
36 days, the scan says, and scans are kinder than reality. The fixtures in that window have just become somebody else’s job.
Squad10 Aug 2026
Ashkan Beiranvand knocks on the manager's door
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Saba, and both men came out saying it was fine.
In brief
- Squad Milad Hosseini named player of the week
- Market Shahriar Dejagah told to find a new club
- Market Alireza Naghizadeh brings the grey hairs Saba lacked