Lionel Messi’s cheeky penalty attempt hit the crossbar and instead of sparking a comeback it sparked a collapse — two minutes later Idan Toklomati put Charlotte ahead, and by night’s end the 21-year-old had completed a hat trick to send Inter Miami home stunned in a 3-0 defeat that ties Charlotte with the MLS single-season win record.
Lionel Messi’s cheeky penalty attempt hit the crossbar and instead of sparking a comeback it sparked a collapse — two minutes later Idan Toklomati put Charlotte ahead, and by night’s end the 21-year-old had completed a hat trick to send Inter Miami home stunned in a 3-0 defeat that ties Charlotte with the MLS single-season win record.
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte — Lionel Messi arrived with the kind of aura only a multiple Ballon d’Or winner can carry, but one misjudged penalty in the 32nd minute flipped the script. Messi lofted a soft chip toward the upper corner; Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, the reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, read it perfectly and parried the attempt. The save electrified the sellout crowd and two minutes later Idan Toklomati finished a Kerwin Vargas cross to put Charlotte ahead — a lead they would never surrender.
Toklomati added a second in the 49th minute, finishing a slick move that began with Wilfried Zaha and was set up by Brandt Bronico. The 21-year-old completed his treble from the penalty spot in the 84th minute after Zaha was felled by Sergio Busquets, blowing a kiss to his captain before sealing the first hat trick of his MLS career.
“Clearly, it wasn't one of our best nights,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the game. “They hit us at very, very crucial moments where they hurt us a lot, and we couldn't get back up.” He added that the team would “accept the moment” and correct what is necessary ahead of a packed schedule.
Charlotte’s defence held firm all night, with Kahlina producing a string of critical stops — including a fine stop on Jordi Alba in the sixth minute and another key save on Tadeo Allende late in the second half. Rodrigo De Paul’s follow-up chance also went begging, one of the few clear opportunities Miami created after missing the penalty.
Messi’s miss is notable not just because it was uncharacteristic, but because it changed momentum. The Argentine, fresh from scoring twice in Argentina’s World Cup qualifier win over Venezuela on Sept. 4, still leads MLS in combined goal contributions this season, but even superstars can be undone by one pivotal moment.
Inter Miami were without Luis Suárez for the first time this campaign; the veteran striker began a three-match suspension following an incident after the Leagues Cup final. Suarez’s absence and a gruelling stretch of seven matches in 22 days now loom for Miami, who drop to seventh in the Eastern Conference after the defeat.
For Charlotte, the victory is historic: the club tied Seattle’s 2018 mark for consecutive single-season wins (excluding the shootout era) with their ninth straight triumph. The result cements Charlotte’s surge as they push toward the top of the Eastern table — a run powered by clinical finishing, solid defending and a young forward announcing himself on the biggest nights.
Toklomati, who celebrated his final strike with team and fans, called the win “special,” while coach Dean Smith — suspended for the match — will watch on as his side chase MLS history. Inter Miami, meanwhile, must regroup quickly: a rematch with the Seattle Sounders awaits on Sept. 16, and injuries, suspensions and the psychological hit of this loss will test their mettle.
