By Billy McGee
September 19, 2025
Charlotte FC officially clinched a playoff berth with their ninth consecutive MLS win against Inter Miami and now have an opportunity to make more history in their upcoming match against New York City FC on Saturday.
The Crown’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami tied the MLS record for longest winning streak in the post-shootout era, previously set by the 2018 Seattle Sounders. Charlotte’s 21-year-old striker Idan Toklomati had the best game of his young career, scoring the second hat trick in Charlotte FC history with an 84th-minute penalty kick.
“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,’” said Toklomati after the game. “After I scored the hat trick, I almost lost my mind. It was the best feeling I ever had.”
The match marked Toklomati’s seventh consecutive game with a goal contribution, joining Andy Williams (1998) as the only players aged 21 years or younger to do so in MLS history.
Charlotte’s historic winning streak began at home against NYCFC on July 12, and they’ll face them again for a chance to become the sole owners of the MLS consecutive winning streak record. The match will not be easy, as Charlotte will take on an NYCFC side fighting for a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference and currently sitting in fifth place. NYCFC have been in strong form since being eliminated from Leagues Cup, going 4-1 over their last five matches and outscoring their opponents 10-6.
Most of their offensive production has come from three players: Alonso Martínez, Hannes Wolf, and Maxi Moralez. Martínez and Wolf are the only players with more than three goals, scoring 15 and 11 respectively, with Wolf also adding seven assists. Thirty-eight-year-old midfielder Moralez leads the team with 11 assists, tied for the sixth-most in the league.
Their defense is among the best in MLS, allowing the fourth-fewest goals (35) while facing the fifth-fewest shots (129). First-choice goalkeeper Matt Freese has benefited from the back line’s ability to limit attempts, posting the fifth-best save percentage among keepers with at least 20 starts.
In the previous meeting, NYCFC doubled Charlotte’s shot total but managed just one more on target in a 2-0 Crown victory. All season, Charlotte has shown an ability to absorb pressure, limit dangerous chances, and strike quickly on the counter. The rematch with NYCFC could follow a similar script — a style that suits Charlotte, especially if Pep Biel returns to the starting lineup.
The match between Charlotte FC and New York City FC is scheduled for an early kickoff at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 20 at Yankee Stadium and will be streaming on the Apple TV MLS Season Pass. The official Charlotte FC watch party will take place at Moo & Brew in Matthews.
Read next:
