Toklomati’s hat trick helps Charlotte FC tie MLS record, stun Miami, Messi
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- Toklomati's hat trick led Charlotte FC to a 3-0 victory against Inter Miami.
- Kahlina saved Messi’s penalty as Charlotte earned a fifth clean sheet in six games.
- Charlotte tied the MLS win streak record and nears clinching a playoff berth.
Kristijan Kahlina dove left and saved Lionel Messi’s penalty kick in the 32nd minute. Two minutes later, Idan Toklomati scored Charlotte FC’s opener. The sequence captured everything about Charlotte’s 3-0 victory over Inter Miami CF on Saturday night.
Charlotte FC tied the MLS record with nine straight wins while moving to the brink of clinching a playoff spot. The 35,607 fans at Bank of America Stadium — the largest lower-bowl-only crowd in club history — watched Toklomati become the second player in franchise history to score a hat trick.
With head coach Dean Smith suspended (yellow card accumulation), associate head coach Miles Joseph managed Charlotte to its fifth clean sheet in six games. The victory keeps Charlotte in third place in the Eastern Conference, needing only a Red Bulls loss or draw in Portland to officially clinch the playoffs.
“Credit to them for what they’ve been doing,” Smith said afterward. “Now, they’ve become record holders in this league. Nine on the spin, takes some doing.”
The breakthrough came after Messi’s missed penalty. Djibril Diani tripped Messi in the box, and after video review, the referee awarded the spot kick. Messi tried to place his shot left, but Kahlina made the save on the 77% expected goal attempt.
Charlotte responded immediately. In the 34th minute, Toklomati scored from the center of the box, assisted by Kerwin Vargas and Ashley Westwood.
“We talked about on turnovers, to switch play, get it to the other side,” Smith said. “And we went in and scored a really good goal.”
Toklomati struck again in the 47th minute. Wilfried Zaha dribbled toward the center before finding Brandt Bronico, who touched the ball to Toklomati streaking toward the right side of goal.
Miami managed just three shots on target in the first half and couldn’t mount serious scoring threats after falling behind 2-0. Kahlina made another diving save in the 72nd minute, stopping Tadeo Allende’s shot from the center of the box.
“Defensively, as a team, we’ve just got stronger and stronger as we’ve gone,” Smith said.
Miami’s frustration peaked when Tomás Avilés received his second yellow card in the 79th minute. Playing a man down while trailing by two goals, Miami couldn’t prevent Toklomati’s hat trick in the 84th minute.
Joseph substituted Toklomati before stoppage time, and the crowd gave him a standing ovation.
“He’s getting better and better,” Smith said. “Not just with goals, but his all-round work ethic. There were a couple of times he lost the ball, but his willingness to get it back helps him become the player he will be able to be.”
Zaha handed Toklomati the penalty for his hat-trick completion, showing the team chemistry Charlotte has developed during this streak.
“He (Zaha) said before the game, if we win today, that he’ll be taking the team out for dinner,” Smith said.
Charlotte entered the match with an 11-2-1 record at Bank of America Stadium. Luis Suarez served the first of a three-match suspension for spitting on a Seattle Sounders technical staff member during Miami’s League Cup final loss.
The Red Bulls kicked off at 10:30 p.m. in Portland. Charlotte now waits to see if the playoff berth is official.
Smith noted that he won’t stay up to watch the result of that game. Of his players, “I’m sure the lads, they’re going to have another couple of lemonades,” Smith joked, “and they’ll find out if we qualified.”
This story was originally published September 13, 2025 at 10:53 PM with the headline "Toklomati’s hat trick helps Charlotte FC tie MLS record, stun Miami, Messi."