Write it in the record books. Charlotte FC have the longest MLS regular-season win streak in history.
Idan Toklomati led the way with a hat-trick on Saturday night as Charlotte defeated Inter Miami and Lionel Messi 3–0 to extend their win streak to nine games, tied with the 2018 Seattle Sounders for the longest winning run in MLS history outside of the shootout era.
With Miami missing striker Luis Suárez due to a three-match suspension for his actions following the Leagues Cup final, it forced the Herons to play midfielder Tadeo Allende up top and for Messi to take a penalty kick.
Despite scoring 19 goals in his previous 19 regular season games, Messi couldn’t beat 2024 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Krisjtan Kahlina, who stood tall to his Panenka attempt.
Moments after the penalty stop, Charlotte quickly transitioned to attack and found their first of three goals from Toklomati in the 34th minute, before he later added goals in the 47th and 85th to seal his hat-trick.
Charlotte continuously made difficult situations for Miami’s backline with their quick counter-attack and pace. The front three of Toklomati, Wilfried Zaha and Brandt Bronico created havoc, eventually forcing Miami defender Tomás Avilés into two yellow cards.
For Zaha in particular, the recent run and record-setting win comes as fruition after calling out his teammates earlier in the season for not playing up to the standard he desired.
“I feel like it was a lot of me just trying to showcase what I can do,” Zaha said of his first weeks with Charlotte before the match “But instead now it’s a team, and I just try to do my bit for the team now. That was early on, and obviously, everyone’s trying to see what Wilf does. And at the same time, for the team, they’d pass me the ball and watch what I’ll do, you know?
“But now it’s just like, I’m not just by myself on the pitch. Everyone does their little bit. I feel like [we’re] a totally different team to the Charlotte team [Miami] faced before.”
Toklomati added about his hat-trick: “It feels amazing. I cannot explain my feeling right now. After I scored two, we get a penalty, and I look at Wilf and he says ‘you want a hat trick?’ I look back at him, like ‘oh my god, he’s an angel.’ I looked at him like an angel.”
With the win, Charlotte look towards their remaining four MLS matches against New York City FC, CF Montréal, D.C. United and the Philadelphia Union to keep up their form ahead of the postseason, while Miami will look to find form after just two wins in their last seven games when they face Seattle on Tuesday.
Here are the player ratings from Charlotte’s dominant Saturday against Miami.
