Full-Time Clip: Liel Abada Scores Charlotte FC’s Third-Ever Hat Trick in 4-0 Win Against CF Montréal

Hat trick, a playoff clinch and a home victory — what more could you want?

With Liel Abada's hat trick and a 4-0 victory against CF Montréal on Wednesday at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte FC clinched a spot in the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs.

“Consistency is about winning football games and getting points and we've managed to get more than 50 points in the three years I've been here,” Head Coach Dean Smith said. “I'm really pleased with the consistency that the players have shown. We’ve won some away games, but the majority of our wins always come here, so it's good to be back with our fans behind us.”

Charlotte FC went on the offensive right from kickoff, trying to set the tone early and get the home crowd amped up.

Idan Toklomati in the second minute was 1-on-1 on the right side of the field with a defender but the shot was saved. Five minutes later, he capitalized and brought the crowd to its feet with his 15th goal of the season.

Allan Saint-Maximin gave himself a window to send in a sizzling cross to Toklomati who was left alone in front of goal. The Israeli forward put his head to the ball and gave Samsy Keita no chance to save the shot.

Toklomati scored for the fifth consecutive match, extending his record as well as tying Karol Świderski for the Club’s all competitions goal record.

“I thought (Idan Toklomati’s) all-round play tonight was very good, probably as good as I've seen him,” Smith said.  “He's on a goal scoring run and he's playing full of confidence at the moment.  When he does that, he's shown us and showed himself the standards he can get to.  So, his job now is to maintain that and keep pushing.”

Montréal threatened The Crown in the 33rd minute from a corner but the resulting header went over the net and out of play. Charlotte FC also had a good look from a corner in the 41st minute, however Djibril Diani’s header went right of the net.

Right before the end of the half, Maxi played Pep Biel into the box, but his shot was tipped by Keita and Charlotte FC wouldn’t further threaten Montréal in the first half.

The Crown didn’t let up on Montréal despite its one-goal lead, continuing to press on for a second score and displaying that intensity from the very beginning of the second half.

Biel played a through ball to Maxi inside the box but the French winger couldn’t corral the pass in the 49th minute. In the 59th minute, Maxi found Rodolfo Aloko inside the box for a potential goal but Aloko played the ball to the middle of the box but no Charlotte FC player was there to meet it.

Maxi had his best chance of the match at scoring in the 60th minute, running into the box and faking a defender into sliding to block the shot only to go around him. With just Seita to beat he took the shot but the keeper blocked the shot and it went over the net.

Abada came on in the 65th minute to replenish the attack and made an impact within two minutes of coming on, scoring his sixth goal this season and giving The Crown a multi-goal lead.

Diani found Abada on the right side of the box and the winger gave himself a shooting lane to put the shot past the keeper. Twelve minutes later, Toklomati and Abada connected for the latter’s second goal of the match.

Toklomati had his defender beat but saw his fellow Israeli sprinting and slowed down to open up a passing lane. Toklomati played Abada into the box and the right winger capitalized on the 1-on-1 with Seita.

“(Idan Toklomati's) got good awareness of what's around him as well,” Smith said. “I've been onto him a little bit because I just think he can be a little bit loose at times when it comes up to him, but his awareness is really good.”

Abada wasn’t done scoring though, netting a hat trick four minutes later via a give-and-go in the box with Biel.

Abada received the ball on an interception from Nathan Byrne and played it to Biel who played it right back and Abada played a first-time shot from his right foot for the Club’s third ever-hat trick. Abada joins Daniel Rios and Toklomati as the only players in Club history to achieve the feet and he did so in 18 minutes after coming on in the 65th minute.

“I build up my confidence, I build up my quality because I want to help the team,” Abada said. “I want to have a game to help them and show myself on the pitch, for me, for the club, for the fans.”

Biel registered his third assist of the match on Abada’s final goal, giving him both a Club-leading 16 assists this season and a Club-leading 29 goal contributions (13G+16A).

Abdoulaye Doucouré made his first-ever appearance for The Crown, subbing on for Toklomati in the 84th minute along with Nathan Richmond coming on for Biel.

“I think you could all see the way (Abdoulaye Doucouré) handles the ball, his body shape when he receives it,” Smith said. “He's a top-class player. Our job is to keep working with him to get him fit.”

Charlotte FC wrapped up the win by smothering Montréal’s offense to confirm the shutout — Kristijan Kahlina's sixth of the season — and The Crown’s playoff berth.

“I don't know when this happened last time in my career overall,” Kahlina said. “Like I don't remember in Charlotte from day one when I came that I didn't have even one shot on target.”

Charlotte FC will play their final home match of the season against Orlando City SC in a spooky Halloween Eastern Conference matchup on Saturday, October 31 at 7:30 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium.

“To be honest, my job first of all was to go and win a game, to qualify for the playoffs and then see how far we can go,” Smith said. “How many points we can get, what position we can end up in and still two games in the regular season to go and do that, then we'll start thinking about how we approach the playoffs.”