Match finished 1-0 for Anderlecht. Zahiroleslam started and played the first 83'. No shots on target for the team, and only 2 total. They only had 34% of the ball. Not much else to say about the opening match.
3 Aug St. Truiden vs Sporting Charleroi 14:45 PM EST Not on ESPN + St.. Truiden looked terrible last week and played very very very compact. This led to Zahiroleslam being asked to do all of the offensive work. Anyone who has watched him play, that going 1v3 is going to be a challenge for him. They could be a little more expansive this week. Zahiroleslam did lead the match last week with 5 dribbles.
Scores the only goal in a 1-4 defeat. St. Truiden only had 3 total shots, 2 on target. I think this will be a long season for them.
11 Aug Royal Antwerp vs St. Truiden 10:00 AM EST Not on ESPN + St Truiden has really done poorly creating chances so far this season. Week 1 vs Anderlecht their XG was 0.1 Week 2 vs Charleroi their XG was 0.3 Without chance creation, Zahiroleslam has no chance.
And potentially wishes he hadn't. 6-1 loss that mires them in last place. Four shots and a couple chances created for Kahveh, while the defense gets all the blame for the shellacking.
17 Aug St. Truiden vs Dender 12:15 PM EST Not on ESPN + Zahiroleslam should get the start. The thoughts about St. Truiden have proved correct. They are in 16th and last place. -9 Goal Differential, -4.3 Xg on the season. So many issues with the squad. Dender was expected to struggle, but as of right now they have 7 points from the first 3 matches.
Started: 🐥 Our 1️⃣1️⃣ names#STVDEN pic.twitter.com/XRCDi2uOD6— STVV (@stvv) August 17, 2024 And scored: Kahveh met de gelijkmaker! 1-1🐥 pic.twitter.com/YRC4ImFESF— STVV (@stvv) August 17, 2024 And again: Kahveh maakt er twee! 2-1 😍 pic.twitter.com/73ofxzxBAN— STVV (@stvv) August 17, 2024 Up 2-1 at the half.
The goals: KAHVEH ZAHIROLESLAM 🇺🇸🇮🇷(2002) DRAWS LEVEL WITH A GREAT FINISH!!!#USMNT📽️ @PushGoals https://t.co/kB2pVKq1pi— Football Report (@FootballReprt) August 17, 2024 🇺🇸 Kahveh Zahiroleslam has a BRACE as he comfortably converts a free header at the back post 🇺🇸 https://t.co/1TVOqm9NP7— American Ultras Talk (@ameriultrastalk) August 17, 2024
2 goals / 1 assist with a 9.3 MOTM rating in FotMob. Dender got an equalizer after he got subbed off. Very good game from him
Kahveh has slowly but surely gotten better and better. He’s been given that opportunity with St Truiden have been fairly patient with him. It’s starting to pay dividends. So it begs the question…. If Kahveh poised for a breakout season? 3 goals in 4 matches. Not bad at all.
The two goals in this match were really nice. His one from earlier the season was opportunistic. He has really been given time to grow. His movement is much better than two years ago, and that has happened because he has been given the chance to develop.
On an interview with Gol Bezan (English-language pod for fans of Iranian soccer) earlier this year, Kahveh said that he basically thinks of himself as a versatile forward who happens to be tall, with more skills and quickness than one would usually stereotypically associate with a "target man". That's also what I saw in this game - I think he's kind of like Haji Wright in that regard.
15 Aug St. Truiden vs Union St. Gilloise 10:00 AM EST On ESPN + Should start. Union got their first win last week, St. Truiden still with only 1 point. Zahiroleslam is 2nd in the league with 3 goals.
Started: Nieuwe strijd, dezelfde strijders 😤 pic.twitter.com/4fVJ0fsiNW— STVV (@stvv) August 25, 2024 0-0 in the 61st.
1 Shot, 1 Yellow Card, 31 Touches, 0.1 XG (the entire team only had 0.3 XG) He has some good movement in the first part of the highlights. His shot is well taken and showed great improvement in his game. I think Yale wonders where this type of player was back in college.
Is anyone else confused as to how he's just seamlessly transitioned into the Pro League? This dude was not on any top 100 lists in college, played 2 seasons of college soccer and 1 summer of 4th-tier US soccer and is now starting in a league that is better than the MLS. His only college achievement was making All-Ivy Second Team his freshman year. He actually played worse his sophomore year. Could most D1 soccer players do what he did or is he just an anomaly? This dude's is genuinely one of the most random stories I've seen.
The sense I get from his interview is that he was always talented, but was never in a environment that fostered expectations that playing pro would be a realistic prospect, nor encouraged him to put soccer first. He grew up in the San Jose area in an Iranian family with serious academic standards but no history of anyone even playing sports at the college level, and played DA but was never involved with the Quakes academy. Reminiscent of another Ivy League athlete from the South Bay - Jeremy Lin.
1 Sep Kortrijk vs St. Truiden 13:15 EST Not on ESPN + This is a place where points are possible for Zahiroleslam and St. Truiden..