Charlotte FC equalled an MLS record as they eased past 10-man Inter Miami 3-0 on the back of Idan Toklomati's hat-trick.

Lionel Messi's 32nd-minute penalty miss paved the way for a dismal day at the office for Miami, who have slipped down to eighth in the Eastern Conference.

With two games in hand on the teams around them, Miami's playoff fate is still in their hands, but they were dispatched by MLS' in-form side at the Bank of America Stadium.

Two minutes after Messi got a Panenka attempt all wrong from the spot, with the penalty awarded following a VAR review, Toklomati opened the scoring as he swept in from Kerwin Vargas' centre.

The Israeli forward made it 2-0 just after the restart, finishing off a sweeping move that was instigated by Wilfried Zaha feeding Brandt Bronico.

Tomas Aviles received his marching orders for a second bookable offence in the 79th minute, and Miami's misery was compounded soon after as Toklomati completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Zaha was scythed down by Sergio Busquets.

Data Debrief: History in Charlotte's sights

Charlotte have now won nine successive MLS games, matching the competition record of consecutive wins in a single season, which was set by the Seattle Sounders in 2018.

Dean Smith's team, who accumulated an impressive 2.37 expected goals (xG) from just 10 attempts, sit third in the Eastern Conference, just four points back from the Philadelphia Union in first place, and have now surged into the playoffs.

They will, then, go for a record-breaking 10th straight win when they take on New York City FC next, and key to their great run has been the form of Toklomati, who has been involved in at least one goal in eight of the nine matches during Charlotte's winning streak, including in each of the last seven.