September 14, (THEWILL) — Charlotte FC recorded a memorable 3-0 triumph against Inter Miami at Bank of America Stadium in the wee hours of Sunday, with forward Idan Toklomati scoring a hat-trick in front of a sold-out lower bowl.
The victory extends Charlotte’s winning run to nine consecutive matches, equalling the Major League Soccer post-shootout era record for the longest winning streak.
The match’s pivotal moment came when Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi earned a penalty midway through the first half, only for Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina to deny the Argentine’s panenka attempt after a VAR review.
Charlotte capitalised immediately, with Toklomati opening the scoring just two minutes after the penalty save.
Toklomati doubled his tally early in the second half following assists from Wilfried Zaha and Brandt Bronico, before completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Zaha drew a foul from Sergio Busquets.
The striker’s treble takes his season total to 11 goals, the highest in the Charlotte squad.
Kahlina’s clean sheet marks his 10th shutout of the campaign, placing him two short of his 2024 Goalkeeper of the Year total of 12.
During their nine-match winning streak, Charlotte have outscored opponents 17-4, with Messi failing to find the net in both his appearances at The Fortress.
The result maintains Charlotte’s third-place position and leaves them one New York Red Bulls defeat or draw away from clinching their Audi 2025 MLS Cup playoff berth.
Charlotte will attempt to claim the outright record with a 10th straight victory when they visit New York City FC on Saturday, September 20.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
