Last night, Sof Podgorano scored Maccabi Haifa's 3:4 in overtime against Hapoel Kfar Saba (3:6 at the end) and ran to fitness coach Dror Shimshon.
The Maccabi Haifa players said at the end that it felt the most natural thing, "For a year they ran together in a difficult rehabilitation process, this goal was the fruit of hard work", they said.
A year and a half ago at the beginning of September, the 22-year-old midfielder tore his Achilles in a game against Benfica and has since undergone an arduous rehabilitation.
This is the most serious injury in the world of sports, that some of the athletes who were injured in this way, did not return to the field.
Maccabi Haifa did everything they could to bring Podgorano, who grew up in the club, back to playing football.
The young talent underwent "stitch surgery" to reattach the tendon and has since undergone a difficult process.
The club's doctor, Dr. Bezalel Peskin, together with Dr. Yaniv Keren, who operated on the player, worked from the first leg on an illusory, but mandatory detail in this type of injury: elevating the leg so that there is balance and the player can return to conducting himself normally.
When that happened, they moved into the club to work on the restoration.
The moment of injury at the end of Podgorano against Benfica, photo: AP
Podgorano would start the morning in the gym, continue with physical therapy and finish with Pilates at home, when in between he underwent treatments on a weekly basis.
At night he would return to the gym to work on weights and maintain a strong body, something that characterizes him from a young age and much thanks to him he was acquired 3 years ago by the Italian Roma.
"If Sof Podgorano hadn't taken care of himself the way he took care of himself in the last year, he wouldn't have returned to play football," Maccabi Haifa clarified, "he has a big part in his return, now we just wish him to be healthy and he will succeed."
Not many Israeli players, if any, had time to be acquired by Roma at the age of 18, to play in the Italian league with Spezia, but to return to Israel where they started their careers at the age of 21. The club's president, Yaakov Shahar, made it clear to the club's people after the injury against Benfica that he would keep him With him as long as he needs and will not give up until he recovers.
While injured, when it was not clear if and when he would return to play, Maccabi Haifa bought Podgorano back from Spezia.
Those close to the deal said that "even the Italians were surprised", since this is a player who will be absent for at least a year.
But the rehabilitation passed, Podgurano returned to play and coach Masai Degu recently let him play.
Masai Dago and his people, photo: Alan Shiver
His goal and assist last night against Hapoel Kfar Saba brought satisfaction not only to the people of Maccabi Haifa, who avoided embarrassment and elimination in the eighth round against the leader of the table in the National League, but also good feelings for a player who is starting to recover from a prolonged injury.
During the current transfer window, Hapoel Petah Tikva and Beitar Jerusalem wanted to loan Podgorano from Maccabi Haifa, but the club preferred to keep him at this stage.
This decision, in the meantime, helped the greens pass the cup stage, but it is clear to them and to the end of Podgorano, that this is only the beginning and its potential is far from being realized.
The question that remains open is, will he exercise it in Kfar Galim, or will he again wander to another team to play more, hoping to return better in the future.
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Podgorano and happy bagpipes, photo: Alan Shiver
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