'15 minutes of magic': Liel Abada shines with stunning MLS hat-trick

Liel Abada delivered one of the most impressive performances of his career on Wednesday, leaving the US sports media buzzing over the Israeli international's dazzling display. Coming off the bench in the 65th minute, the Charlotte FC winger fired home a rapid-fire hat-trick within 16 minutes to seal a dominant 4-0 victory over CF Montréal and secure his club's spot in the MLS playoffs.

The official league account celebrated Abada’s performance with the caption: "A hat-trick in 15 minutes of madness for Liel Abada!" American outlets highlighted his instant impact off the bench, with a FOX headline reading: "A hat-trick in 16 minutes: MLS continues to surprise."

Abada found the back of the net in the 67th, 79th, and 83rd minutes, bringing his total to eight league goals this season - all recorded since the All-Star break. It marked his first MLS hat-trick and the second of his career, following a three-goal tally for Celtic in 2022. He also became just the third player in Charlotte's history to record a hat-trick, joining Daniel Rios and fellow Israeli Idan Toklomati.

The Israeli connection between the duo proved decisive on the pitch. Toklomati, who opened the scoring for Charlotte in the 7th minute, set up Abada’s second goal after spotting his run into space and delivering a precise pass into the box. In the 83rd minute, Abada completed his treble following a crisp exchange of passes with Pep Biel.

Toklomati continued his remarkable run as well. The striker reached 15 league goals on the season, scoring for his fifth consecutive match and tying Karol Swiderski for the club's all-time goalscoring record across all competitions.

With the victory, Charlotte snapped a three-game winless streak and guaranteed its place in the postseason. The squad returns to action on Saturday against Orlando City in their final regular-season home fixture.

"It’s a pretty special feeling," Abada admitted after the match. "Honestly, it’s special. I have to thank the team and the staff who push me, and I’m very happy, but now we must be ready for the next game."

Addressing recent reports regarding potential interest from European clubs, Abada added: "At first I wasn't playing well and the situation was tough, but I stayed strong and kept working hard. After that, I got opportunities, my confidence came back, and I want to help the team and show what I can do on the field - for myself, for the fans - and I'm happy about this win."

Charlotte manager Dean Smith lauded Toklomati following his 15th goal of the campaign and continued stellar form.

"I thought his all-around game was very good, probably the best I’ve seen from him," said the coach. "He’s on a goalscoring run and playing with a lot of confidence right now. When he plays like that, he shows us and himself what level he’s capable of reaching. Now it’s his job to maintain that level and keep improving."

Smith also noted the Israeli forward's vision on the pitch, which created Abada's second tally: "He also has great awareness of what’s happening around him. I’ve been a bit critical of him at times because I think he can occasionally be sloppy when the ball comes to him, but his awareness is really good."

Reflecting on his resurgence, Abada noted: "I’m building my confidence and refining my qualities because I want to help the team. I want to play games where I can contribute and showcase myself on the pitch - for me, for the club, and for the fans."

Smith expressed equal satisfaction with the team's broader milestone and playoff qualification: "Consistency means winning soccer matches and picking up points. We’ve managed to get over 50 points in each of my three years here. I’m very pleased with the consistency the players have shown. We’ve won a few away games, but most of our wins come here, so it’s good to be back with the fans behind us."