Joseph Paintsil exults in Galaxy MLS Cup triumph: “It’s really special”

CARSON, Calif. – As talent-laden as the LA Galaxy’s 2024 roster is, the most important goal of their season arrived via a preordained sequence, a product of careful collective work on the training ground more than any individual stroke of brilliance.

That’s what Joseph Paintsil revealed of his early strike in Saturday’s MLS Cup presented by Audi triumph over New York Red Bulls, the game’s opening goal – and a massive factor in the home side’s eventual 2-1 victory, considering RBNY had scored first in every victory on their unexpected Audi MLS Cup Playoffs run, empowering their defend-and-counter tactical approach.

“The goal was already something that is really planned,” Paintsil told MLSsoccer.com in the happy chaos of the Galaxy’s locker room postgame, a Ghanaian flag wrapped around his waist.

The winger had drifted centrally, then surged into open space behind the Red Bulls’ advanced back line as surprise hero Gastón Brugman – making his first start since Oct. 5 – exchanged quick passes with his midfield colleague Edwin Cerrillo, Brugman assisting Paintsil’s low finish under Carlos Coronel with a slide-rule through ball into the penalty box.

In mere seconds, and with mere minutes elapsed on the game clock, the Galaxy had pried open RBNY’s organized defense, seizing an advantage they ultimately never relinquished.

“Gaston was a captain. He knows what to do,” said Paintsil. “Even in training, he always gives us the energy. So Gaston already knows what he needs to do even though Riqui [Puig] was not there. And as you can see, he delivered.”

To further vindicate head coach Greg Vanney’s selection of Brugman and Mark Delgado as LA’s twin No. 8s absent Best XI playmaker Puig, Delgado would soon play provider on Dejan Joveljić’s game-winning goal.

“Because Gaston knows there is space, and he knows even with a blind pass, I will always be there. We did it in training, and it really resulted in the first goal,” explained Paintsil. “And as you can see, also with Dejan also having the space also to shoot from a difficult distance, it was also Mark giving the [assist].

“We have to bring this intensity and the challenges. Because without the hard work and the…