Idan Toklomati Breaks Charlotte FC Record as Union Win Streak Ends in 2-2 Draw

Idan Toklomati's header did not exactly rocket into the net. It crept into the bottom left corner, survived a VAR check, and still carried more weight than most screamers ever will. With it, the 22-year-old owned Charlotte FC's single-season MLS scoring record outright, and the Philadelphia Union's winning machine finally sputtered.

The Union and Charlotte drew 2-2 at Subaru Park on Saturday afternoon. Milan Iloski's penalty put Philadelphia ahead, Rodolfo Aloko and Toklomati flipped the match in the first 17 minutes after the break, and Bruno Damiani dragged the hosts level in the 73rd minute. The point ended Philadelphia's eight-match MLS winning streak but stretched its club-record unbeaten run to 15.

A Penalty, a Post and Three Bookings

Philadelphia came out firing, mostly from range. Cavan Sullivan, the Union's 17-year-old midfielder, fired over in the eighth minute and had two more efforts in the 16th, one just wide and one blocked. Kai Wagner, Indiana Vassilev and Iloski all had shots charged down as the hosts camped around the box.

The breakthrough came from a handball. Pep Biel was penalized for one inside the area, and in the 24th minute Iloski stepped up and placed his penalty into the bottom left corner. The Union said it was his 19th goal of the season.

Charlotte had the ball more and slowly found its rhythm. In the 34th minute, Biel set up Ashley Westwood in the middle of the box, and Westwood's shot smacked off the right post before he dragged the follow-up wide. Allan Saint-Maximin forced a save from Blake in the 42nd minute. In between, the visitors kept collecting cards: Saint-Maximin was booked in the 19th, Morrison Agyemang in the 44th and David Schnegg in first-half stoppage time. Philadelphia went to the break up 1-0.

Charlotte Flip the Script

It took the visitors three minutes of the second half to erase all of that. Toklomati teed up Aloko, who finished with his left foot from the middle of the box into the bottom right corner in the 48th minute.

Philadelphia nearly answered immediately. In the 53rd minute, Cavan Sullivan picked out Iloski from point-blank range, and the ball went off the crossbar instead of in. Interim head coach Ryan Richter sent on Quinn Sullivan for Vassilev two minutes later, and Kristijan Kahlina saved from Frankie Westfield in the 60th minute.

Then Charlotte struck again. Schnegg swung in a cross, Toklomati met it on the right side of the six-yard box, and his header found the bottom left corner. VAR confirmed it, and Charlotte led 2-1 in the 62nd minute.

Damiani Will Not Go Away

The Union's attempted reply in the 66th minute went sideways in every sense. Cavan Sullivan was flagged offside on a play the Union said ended with the ball in the net, and Damiani was down for a lengthy stoppage after being taken down in the sequence.

He got up, and seven minutes later he had the equalizer. Danley Jean Jacques, back in the lineup after missing the midweek win in Chicago, found him in the middle of the box, and Damiani hit a left-footed finish into the top left corner to make it 2-2. Per the Union, it was his 12th goal of the season and his ninth in his last seven matches. He was eventually replaced by Malik Jakupovic in the 82nd minute because of an injury.

The finish was chaos. Henry Kessler headed a Biel set piece off the left post in the 89th minute, the fourth official put up 12 minutes of stoppage time, and Kahlina made two big saves in that window, on Cavan Sullivan in the 92nd minute and Quinn Sullivan in the 95th.

The Men Who Mattered

Idan Toklomati had a goal and an assist on two shots. Charlotte said the header was his 13th MLS goal of the season, breaking the club record of 12 he had shared with Karol Świderski and Biel. The club also said he has scored in five of his last six matches, with eight goals and two assists in his last 10.

Bruno Damiani had play stopped for him three separate times, per ESPN's play-by-play, and still produced the equalizer. He and Iloski had combined for 29 of the Union's 59 goals before kickoff, according to the club.

Kristijan Kahlina made three saves, and the two in stoppage time preserved the point.

Cavan Sullivan took five shots, the most of anyone on the field, and created the chance that hit the bar.

The Turning Point

The 62nd minute flipped the stakes. Before Toklomati's header, the Union were chasing a ninth straight win. After it, they were scrambling to protect the unbeaten run. Damiani saved the run, but Charlotte's response after the break, two goals in 14 minutes, was what killed the winning streak.

Stats That Matter

• Shots: Philadelphia 21, Charlotte 13. On target, it was 5-3.
• Possession: Charlotte had 60.2 percent of the ball.
• Clearances: The Union made 45 to Charlotte's 32.
• Corners: Philadelphia won seven, Charlotte one.
• Woodwork: Three shots hit the frame, two by Charlotte and one by the Union.

What It Means

Philadelphia moved to 13-7-10 (wins, draws, losses) with 46 points. The club noted the winning streak ended one victory shy of matching the league's single-season record, while the unbeaten run is now 15 matches. Their last MLS defeat came on May 24, a 6-4 loss at Inter Miami. Next up, the Union host New England on Oct. 24.

Charlotte moved to 13-8-9 with 47 points, one point ahead of the Union, and steadied themselves after a 3-1 loss at Columbus three days earlier. Charlotte have also taken four points from the Union this season after a 2-1 home win on April 4.

The Closing Take

Westwood summed up the Toklomati story better than any stat could. "I think when he came back from international duty, his work rate's gone through the roof," he said. "He looks a top striker now." Dean Smith added: "We've always known how competitive he is, but he's showing that skill on the ball as well." Philadelphia's streak is over. Toklomati's appears to be just getting started.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Postgame quotes and additional details as reported by Charlotte FC and the Philadelphia Union.