Joseph Paintsil, the Ghanaian international, has credited his stellar debut performance for LA Galaxy to maintaining calmness under pressure.
The winger for the Black Stars showcased his talents in his inaugural Major League Soccer match as LA Galaxy faced off against Inter Miami at the Dignity Health Sports Park.
Paintsil played a key role in initiating the attack that led to LA Galaxy’s opening goal in the 75th minute, scored by Dejan Joveljic. However, Lionel Messi, the recipient of multiple Ballon d’Or awards, scored in injury time to salvage a draw for his team.
Despite the draw, Paintsil’s performance stood out as he won a penalty in the 13th minute, which unfortunately was missed by Riqui Puig.
Reflecting on his display, Paintsil stated, “In this kind of situation, I always maintain my calmness and stay ready. It was my first game, and I needed to build confidence and just focus. If I let the pressure get to me, I would have made more mistakes and been less effective in the game.”
The talented player made the move to LA Galaxy in February from KRC Genk in Belgium, signing a four-year deal as a Designated Player.
