2025 Leagues Cup: Joseph Paintsil inspires LA Galaxy to an emphatic win over Santos Laguna to seal quarterfinal berth

Ghanaian winger Joseph Paintsil scored in LA Galaxy's hauling of Mexican side Santos Laguna in the 2025 Leagues Cup on Friday, August 8 2025.

In the final group fixtures of the ongoing 2025 Leagues Cup- a tournament between the Mexican MX Liga clubs and American MLS clubs, Ghanaian international, Joseph Paintsil shone in his side, LA Galaxy's 4-0 win over Santos Laguna as he scored his third goal of the tournament in three games.

The Ghanaian international scored under the first minute of the game to put his side in pole position for a huge win, inspiring them with the early opener. The "Los Galacticos" went on the score three more goals through a Matheus Nascimento brace and another from captain Maya Yoshida over a 9-man Santos Laguna.

Paintsil, 27, has featured in all three Group games and has produced remarkable performances in all games, as he first has a superlative game in the opening fixture against Tijuana, where he scored a brace and provided an assist in his side's 5-2 win over the Mexican outfit; a game he played full throttle in, as well as the second game against Cruz Azul which his side won 8-7 on penalties after a goal apiece stalemate after regulation time.

Notwithstanding a recurrent injury crisis, the Ghanaian pacey attacker stayed resolute and gave blistering performances in all 2024 MLS games he featured in as he notched 14 goals and provided 8 assists, as well as the subsequent and current 2025 season, pulling off great numbers as he has already netted four goals and provided one assist in 17 games, scoring three in his last four games for LA Galaxy.

Painstil is determined to help his side retain the MLS Western Conference trophy as he helped LA Galaxy lift the 2024 edition where he scored in the final against New York Red Bulls in December 2024.

The former KRC Genk winger has been capped 15 times with the Ghana national team, the Black Stars and is yet to find his debut goal as he has already pulled of two assists for the national team.