Every championship soccer team at every level needs a consistent match-winner at the No. 9 position. They have the ability to turn results around, to be the difference between advancing in the postseason and going home. They provide a bit of magic seemingly, at times, out of nothing.
The 2024 Las Vegas Lights have found their man in Khori Bennett.
Bennett is having a breakout season in his first year in the USL Championship after making a jump from two seasons in USL League One. He’s scored 13 goals, which is tied for fourth in the league. He’s been the talisman up front in Head Coach Dennis Sanchez’s attack and has stepped up time and time again.
“I really take pride in being a goalscorer,” said Bennett. “I take pride in getting into the right spots. I’m fortunate to have a group of guys who are capable of getting me the ball in the right spots. I always try to finish off the plays to help the team, which is the most important thing.”
Bennett’s success has coincided with the Lights’ success, as they clinched their first postseason appearance in club history and have a chance to secure at least one home playoff match. Under Sanchez, the Lights play beautiful attacking soccer, with an emphasis on dominating the ball in the final third and capitalizing on their opportunities in front of goal.
As the Lights front office were building their roster from scratch to start the season, they extended an offer for Bennett to join during preseason with a chance to earn a spot on the team. Bennett took that challenge head on.
“Just that right away tells you everything about him,” Sanchez said of Bennett. “A lot of seasoned pros will not come into a preseason without a signed contract. To see his humility, his belief in himself and confidence to come in and really have the opportunity to prove himself tells you everything about who he is. To see his success, I’m not surprised at all.”
The Lights are very potent in attack, with players like Valentin Noël, Christian Pinzón, Coleman Gannon and others contributing. But Bennett makes everyone around him better, and not just offensively. He pushes Lights defenders every day in training, as they’re forced to try and contain him.
“He’s a very good player,” said Lights center back Joe Hafferty of Bennett. “He’s got a knack for goal. It’s good to compete against somebody of that caliber every day. It makes you better, and it’s good to have him on your team on the weekend because you know what it’s like defending him. It’s a lot easier to be on his side.”
Bennett is approaching a club record for goals in a season. He is currently in third with two matches remaining. Only Irvin Parra in 2019 (15 goals) and Danny Trejo in 2022 (14) scored more in a single campaign than Bennett has in 2024.
“He’s strong, he has quality, he’s easy to play with,” said forward Solomon Asante of Bennett. “When you have the ball, he knows where to move, so it’s very easy for the wingers and the midfielders. I feel very good playing with him.”
Bennett will look to add to his tally on Saturday when Las Vegas Lights FC host Oakland Roots SC on Fan Appreciation Night in the last home match of the regular season (7:30 p.m. PT; ESPN+ | TICKETS). Las Vegas hopes that Bennett can ride some momentum as the team approaches the postseason, where it may very well take a moment of brilliance in front of goal to push the club closer toward its title ambition.
“He’s a guy who constantly has a chip on his shoulder,” said Sanchez. “He wants to play at a higher level than USL. He wants to get called into the Jamaican national team. He’s hungry. Even though he’s scored 13 [goals], he’s hungry for more.”
