Khori Bennett’s scoring drought is in some ways inevitable and in others, necessary. 

The Jamaican striker earned his 10th and 11th goals of the season July 22 at home against Miami FC. At that point, he was tied for the lead in the USL Championship’s Golden Boot race. 

He’s gone quiet since, with no goals in his last seven regular-season matches, eight across all competitions. Now, his 11 goals are tied for fourth in the league, trailing league leader Rubio Rubin of El Paso Locomotive FC by two. 

Switchbacks coach Alan McCann is far from worried about that development, however and instead praised the dedication of his forward who has carried the load for Colorado Springs at the “9” position for the overwhelming majority of the season. 

“There’s so many games, especially away, where Khori’s doing 90, 90, 90 and he’s run himself into the ground. That’s not sustainable,” McCann said. 

Heading into the season, McCann prioritized finding a true striker for the Switchbacks after the club went without one for the majority of a disappointing 2025 season. 

Bennett and returning forward Kyle Vassell were McCann’s answers to the striker question entering this season, but at the end of March, Colorado Springs released Vassell. Bennett has, for the most part, been a one-man show at the position. He is the club’s leader in minutes played with 100 more than the second-busiest player in defender Talen Maples.  

“It shows the character. It shows the level of humbleness that he’s willing to keep doing it,” McCann said of Bennett. “We were speaking about it for weeks on end. This was going to happen in terms of the drop-off, but it’s almost similar to at the start of the year where (Adrien Perez) had to play in the 10. He’s having to do a job for the team right now and he’s having to do certain pieces because the right fit wasn’t in the building.”

On Tuesday, McCann said the club was finally closing in on a replacement for Vassell, which should help Bennett with minutes. The reason for the delay was that McCann wanted to make sure he found the right person and player. 

“We are going to stand to our principles. We’re not just going to get anyone into the building just because they’re a number,” he said. “We’re not going to spoil this dressing room. This dressing room is fantastic. … If you put one bad apple into the bunch, it can spoil the whole bunch very, very quickly. It is like that with any locker room so we’re not going to go out and put just anyone in our locker room and that’s going to show up in these moments. That’s where the flaw is in that system, but no system’s perfect.” 

On Thursday, the Switchbacks officially announced the signing McCann referenced. Former Switchbacks striker Elvis Amoh will make his return to downtown Colorado Springs. Amoh was one of three big scorers for the club in the 2022 season, which saw the Switchbacks advance to their first conference final. That year, Amoh scored 13 goals and scored another 13 over the course of the 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons. 

With Amoh coming back, McCann said he expects to see Bennett return to his peak attacking form in about a week or two, but regardless of what happens with the Golden Boot, having the right players in the locker room is essential. That’s especially true now as the club vies for a top-four spot in the Western Conference and a home playoff match with just eight games left in the regular season.  

Last week, the club earned its first regular-season road win since June 20 with a 1-0 result, but the victory came off the back of a unified mentality, midfielder Brennan Creek said.

“All 18 guys from the bench to the guys that started, everyone had that same mentality of we’re just going to find a way to win,” Creek said. “Have the mentality of let’s say someone makes a mistake, the next guy’s got his back, right. It’s not just four or five guys, it’s all 18.”

Colorado Springs will attempt to bring that same mentality Friday as the club travels to Loudoun United at 5 p.m. 

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Stoppage Time: A little more on Loudoun 

Colorado Springs Switchbacks (9-9-4) at Loudoun United (3-7-11)

Friday’s hosts only have three regular-season victories but have been in 11 draws.

“They’ll want the ball and it’s just a whole data look at it, they’re the only team above us right now in the whole league in terms of one-v-one dribbling action. So we know that’s going to be coming at us,” McCann said. “They are hurting but they’re no pushover.” 

Scoring Leaders 

USL Championship regular-season stats only 

Goals 

COS: Khori Bennett (11, tied for fourth-most in USL Championship)

LOU: Thorleifur Úlfarsson (8)

Assists 

COS: Sadam Masereka, Sam Williams (3)

LOU: Richard Aman (5)

Switchbacks extend Fjeldberg 

On Wednesday, the Switchbacks announced the extension of forward Jonas Fjeldberg through the 2027 season with a club option for 2028. 

This season, the Norwegian forward has had his most successful outing with the club since joining in 2023 with four goals in regular-season play. 

“I’m beyond excited to extend my contract here with the Switchbacks. The connection I’ve developed with the fans, community and the people working with the club is something I haven’t had before in my career,” Fjeldberg said in a release. “It’s truly something special. Signing this extension was never in doubt for my family or me. The ultimate goal is to bring another championship to this great city, and I am hungrier than ever to make that happen.”