When Barak Itzhaki looked at the scoreboard as he went down the Teddy Stadium stairs to the dressing room, he saw that his Beitar Jerusalem which had already lost Yarden Shua to a unnecessary red card, was down by a goal and had just missed an Omer Atzily penalty that could have evened up the score at the break.

However, that didn’t bother the former striker the very least. He knew that his side was going to win the game and when he asked his troops the same question, the answer was the same. Everyone in the room knew that they were going to do everything in their power to take the victory and go home with 3-points in their pocket.

And that’s what they did.

First the bench boss made a trio of offensive minded substitutions heading into the second half which included Johnbosco Kalu, Adi Yona and one Timoti Muzi.

And away they went.

First Yona assisted on Muzi’s first goal of the game and while the yellow-and-black conceded soon thereafter it didn’t take long for Beitar to draw even on a spectacular Aztily free kick, 2-2.

Atzily, Kalu and Muzi teamed up to take the lead while Muzi played facilitator as Kalu scored to give the hosts a 4-2 that rocked Teddy Stadium to no end. But that wasn’t it, Muzi polished off the win with a penalty in second half injury time to wrap up the 5-2 victory with a hat-trick.

Hat-tricks in hockey are rare, but in football they are almost impossible.

But Muzi created sweet music on this night as fans celebrated with all of their might.

“It feels great and it’s really amazing fun,” Muzi said following the comeback win. “This was terrific and I am so happy that we won the game.”

Muzi is modest chap and a quiet guy, not a rowdy go getter that Israeli soccer may be used to. He uses his skills on the pitch to do the his talking.

“It was an amazing feeling,” the winger continued. “The hard work has to continue and we will go on as we win games as a team. I will always work hard, no matter what numbers I’ve been able to put up.”

Muzi, the son of Maureen who is originally from South Africa and a Congolese father who left the family when he was young, saw his mother raise him throughout his childhood. Maureen saw Timoti’s potential and joined the Maccabi Haifa youth department.

After going on loan to Kiryat Shemona, Hapoel Nof HaGalil and Hapoel Kfar Saba, Muzi joined Beitar in 2023 after Haifa decided to sell him for the small fee of 50,000 Euros. Since joining the capital city squad in 2023, Muzi has scored 13 goals in 67 Israeli league appearances, which 3 of those goals coming on Saturday night at the cauldron known as Teddy Stadium.

Yes, Teddy Stadium, with over 18K Beitar fans is a blast of a place to be without a doubt when their team is winning, in fact, there ay not be a better spot to be in the entire country. When the supporters are behind the team there is nothing that can compare.

“When I came into the game, I felt that we would win because we were at home with our fans supporting us at Teddy Stadium. It was like our 12th man and I am really happy that we won the game,” the 24-year old said.

After last season’s successful run which allowed Beitar to compete in UEFA Conference League qualifiers where he scored a pair of goals, there were expectations of Itzhaki’s side and Muzi is very well aware that the fans want to see their team win and his team need to live up to the expectations that had been set.

“We feel the expectations of the fans and we are one with them. We feel their presence and happy they are here to push us which is not something that I take for granted. They are with us at home and on the road, every game. When they are happy we are as well, everything we do is for them. To win a game with 10 players is for them.”

There are now expectations that Muzi should be named to the Israel National Team down the road and we will see in due time if the Ran Ben Shimon sees him as the right fit for his side. But right now Muzi is trying to make the best of the chances he has with Beitar Jerusalem and also experience the best that the club can bring out of the fans and everyone associated with them.

Prior to the game Beitar hosted many families who were affected by the October 7th attack by Hamas on the country. There have been well over 100 fans who have lost their lives while protecting the homeland and its people. The heroes were represented by their families on the pitch ahead of kickoff in a stirring ceremony together with the players and owner Barak Abramov.

“These are chilling moments,” Muzi said. “We feel the pain of the families of those who were murdered and kidnapped. Our hearts go out to everyone.”