Ghana winger Joseph Paintsil moved into double figures for goals in the Major League Soccer (MLS) with a crispy finish on Sunday night as LA Galaxy eased their way past Vancouver Whitecaps 4-2 at the Dignity Health Park.
Galaxy needed to make amends after losing to Portland Timbers in their last league outing.
Gabriel Pec gave the hosts the perfect start after the half-hour mark, leaving the home fans reveling in the stands at the break.
Vancouver’s Sebastian Berhalter put through his own net after 50 minutes, before Brian White halved the deficit after the hour make for the visitors.
However, Gabriel Pec and Riqui Puig combined brilliantly to set up Joseph Paintsil for his 10th league goal of the season, restoring the home side’s two-goal advantage.
Puig sealed the result in stoppage time, although Sam Adekugbe added another goal for the visitors.
Meanwhile, Paintsil’s goal took his league tally to 10 for the season, notching up nine assists in the process; his highest-ever goal-scoring returns since the 2022-23 season, where he scored 17 times and provided 12 assists for Genk.
The win extends LA Galaxy’s lead at the summit of the Western Conference table to seven points over second-place Real Salt Lake, who have a game in hand.
Elsewhere, Osman Bukari’s Austin FC lost by a lone goal at home to Houston Dynamo, leaving them in 11th place out of the 14 sides in the Western Conference League.
By Andrews Sefa Bamfo
