Galaxy discover a real striker in 3-2 win over Portland – Corner of the Galaxy

Fifty years ago, every talented player wanted to play striker or attacking midfielder. With the advent of system football, playing number nine means thankless space, making runs for others, working tirelessly for one chance to score.

Clever positioning and an uncanny nose for scoring opportunities have yielded 12 goals for Galaxy forward Dejan Jovelic. The team has clearly struggled in attack since the Serbian forward suffered a hip injury, leading fans and pundits to speculate that general manager Will Kuntz would explore the market for a backup striker.

Enter Joseph Paintsil. “This is not the first time I play in that position. I did that in Genk against Club Brugge and a few other games.”

What an understatement! The Ghanaian striker put on a clinic in the game of lone striker against Portland, directly or indirectly involved in every chance created in the 3-2 win over Portland. Mention the name Paintsil before bed and Timbers centre-backs Dario Zuparic and Miguel Araujo will be scouring the medicine cabinet for massive doses of melatonin.

Good strikers stretch the pitch and maintain play to engage the rest of the team. Different types of strikers do this in different ways. Tall, strong players receive the ball with their backs to goal and hold on long enough for teammates to join the attack. Top power forwards like Olivier Giroud make deft layoff passes, win aerial duels and play diagonal balls to switch the point of attack. Some make an art form of drawing fouls from dangerous positions.

Fast forwards make quick runs from blind spots in the defense, forcing opposing center backs out of position. Defenders tend to back away, fearing that fast runs behind them will create space in midfield. The best strikers of this type often switch positions with wingers, drop into midfield, and repeat their runs constantly, forcing the opposition to make quick decisions and change positions.

The Ghanaian striker played a key role in all three Galaxy goals. For over 30 minutes, Paintsil occupied the typical striker positions with the opposition centre-backs in attack, dropping back to join the build-up and shooting behind the defence from central positions.

In the thirty-eighth minute, Paintsil switched with Gabriel Pec who took up a position wide right. The opposition did not expect the explosive run that followed. Riqui Puig’s perfect through ball found the striker in full flow, more than seven meters behind the nearest defender. A simple cross to Pec who steamed through the middle opened the score, 1-0 Galaxy. Portland’s defense failed to adjust to the switch. Paintsil punished them.

The second goal, which started a minute into the second half, is an example of perfect striker play. The Pec picked up the ball on the right touchline and passed it to Delgado. When the midfielder received the ball, Paintsil checked back for a ball to his feet. As Delgado pushed the ball forward, he shot a diagonal through ball, leaving one central defender biting the dust and drawing the other to cover him. Portland managed to tap him out for a Galaxy throw-in.

As the Galaxy turned the ball to the left, Paintsil crept from an offside position between the centre-backs who were clutching each other but not fully aware of his location. His quick run over the shoulder of the right centre-back forced the left centre-back to cover him as the ball arrived. He paused and waited for the play to develop.

With the defenders out of position, Diego Fagundez ran from his left flank position into the middle, drawing the midfielders with him. Puig followed the play into the space created by the two runs. Paintsil’s deft chipped pass found Puig at the top of the penalty area. With time to judge the shot, the Spaniard fired a low laser into the bottom left corner of the goal. 2-0 Galaxy.

Every move from Paintsil threw Portland’s defense off balance. With Fagundez in a supporting role, the Timbers couldn’t adapt to the speed and fluidity of the attack. Every segment in the series relied on the Ghanaian’s top-notch positioning and forward play.

A sight to behold, the final goal rewarded Paintsil for his brilliant performance. In the fifty-seventh minute, right back Miki Yamane intercepted a pass from Portland. The Galaxy initiated a series of possessions. As the ball swung to the left flank. The Galaxy forward took a step toward midfield, freezing the center backs before exploding diagonally toward the left corner flag. Fagundez’s pass arrived as Paintsil entered the penalty area.

Great strikers can create shots at any moment. What Paintsil did next should be in every striker training video. While moving at pace, position the ball with one foot and immediately strike it with the other. The reaction of the defenders as the ball curled into the top right net showed that they didn’t see it coming. Pure number nine genius. 3-1 Galaxy.

The Galaxy did what they always seem to do with a dominant lead. They rushed to seize their chances, repeatedly giving the ball back to Portland. Finally, the Timbers punished them with a solo run from Santiago Moreno. With less than ten minutes to play, Vanney brought on Emir Garces as a third center back. Miguel Berry and Mauricio Cuevas replaced Fagundez and Paintsil, and the Galaxy took the game 3-2.

The Galaxy clearly needed an attacking-minded backup striker for Dejan Jovelic. They found a much better solution within their own roster than Kuntz could ever find on the transfer market. Memo to MLS: Joseph Paintsil can thrive as a striker against any team looking to pressure the LA Galaxy.

LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers | Full Match Highlights | July 20, 2024