Black Stars winger, Joseph Paintsil wasted no time in making his mark as LA Galaxy cruised past Santos Laguna with a dominant 4-0 victory in the Leagues Cup on Thursday night.
With barely a minute on the clock, Paintsil latched onto a precise low cross from Mauricio Cuevas after a sublime overlapping run on the right flank.
The 26-year-old timed his movement perfectly, steering the ball past the goalkeeper to open the floodgates for the hosts.
Cuevas was again the architect in the 39th minute, whipping in another dangerous ball for Brazilian forward Matheus Nascimento to double Galaxy’s lead.
Just moments later, defender Maya Yoshida pounced from close range to make it 3-0 before the half-time whistle.
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The night went from bad to worse for Santos Laguna when striker Choco Lozano was shown a second yellow card in the 45th minute.
In added time, Ramiro Sordo followed him down the tunnel after receiving a straight red, leaving the Mexican side to play the entire second half with just nine men.
Galaxy controlled proceedings after the break, and Nascimento sealed the win in the 74th minute with his second goal of the game.
Paintsil’s strike took his personal tally in the Leagues Cup to three goals and one assist.
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His red-hot form has helped LA Galaxy book their place in the quarter-finals as they continue their hunt for a silverware.
Watch video of the goal below:
FKA/JE