In a recent Major League Soccer (MLS) match against Austin FC, LA Galaxy faced a formidable challenge, resulting in a 2-0 defeat and a frustrating outing for the team.

Head coach Greg Vanney attributed Joseph Paintsil's subdued performance in the game to the opponent's defensive tactics, which posed significant obstacles for the forward.

Vanney emphasized the difficulty faced by the team, particularly in creating scoring opportunities due to spacing constraints and Austin FC's deep defensive setup.

Despite attempts to utilize Paintsil's quickness to unlock defensive situations, the opponent's defensive solidity limited the effectiveness of such strategies.

"We tried to shift some of our bodies around and see if we could speed up some things and try to use Joe’s (Joseph Paintsil) quickness between those center backs and try something a little different to unlock some situations," Vanney explained.

"They ended up so deep that there wasn’t a ton of space to work with some of our quicker guys."

Despite Paintsil's efforts, including completing one successful dribble and registering two shots on target, LA Galaxy failed to secure a positive result.

The defeat highlighted the team's inconsistency in recent performances, following a previous victory over San Jose Earthquake.

Paintsil, who has shown promise in his MLS career with four goals and four assists in 10 league games, aims to bounce back from this setback as Galaxy seek to regain momentum in upcoming fixtures.

His recent performances suggest a potential return to the Ghanaian national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June, despite encountering issues with documents that prevented his participation in Ghana's March assignments.

As Paintsil continues to adapt to the MLS and contribute to LA Galaxy's campaign, his resilience and talent position him as a valuable asset for both club and country.