Ghana forward Joseph Paintsil who recently joined LA Galaxy has voiced his disappointment in not securing a victory against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in their opening game of the new Major League Soccer (MLS) season.
Paintsil, 26, made an immediate impact in his debut, playing a crucial role in winning a penalty that was successfully converted by Dejan Joveljic to give LA Galaxy a 1-0 lead in the 75th minute. However, Messi salvaged a draw for Inter Miami with a late goal in injury time.
In a post-game interview, Paintsil expressed the team’s mixed feelings about the result.
“We are disappointed (with the draw) but we are good with the kind of football that we played. It’s really disappointing that we let these three points go, and we needed to have a good start to the season. All hope is not gone; we did a fantastic job. It was just a bit of luck, I think, that Messi had the last goal,” he remarked.
Despite the disappointment, Paintsil acknowledged the positive aspects of LA Galaxy’s performance and the quality of football they displayed.
The team now look ahead to their next MLS regular season match against San Jose Earthquake on March 3, aiming to secure a win and bounce back from the opening draw.
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Joseph was a key player for KRC Genk before making the switch to the United States as a designated player. The winger before the transfer had scored six goals, and four assists in 23 appearances in the Belgian top flight this season.
His previous performances had attracted interest from various clubs, including Burnley in England. Negotiations with Burnley fell through last summer, and despite interest from Leeds United and Southampton, deals with both clubs did not materialise.
As Paintsil settles into his new role with LA Galaxy, fans are eager to see more of his contributions and the team’s progress in the MLS season.