LA Galaxy 1, Inter Miami 1
THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by LA Galaxy Joseph Paintsil.
Q. Just want to know, what was the experience like for you first game? Massive crowd in terms of what we usually see in this stadium, a lot of energy. What did you take away from this game?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: It was really a good game altogether. The crowd came in numbers, and that's really what we wanted because we wanted the crowd. We wanted the supporters.
As you can see, they gave us a lot of energy when we scored the first goal. Yeah, seeing this kind of game and I love also playing this kind of game in the midst of the supporters. It was really a great game altogether, and we did a great job also.
Q. Then looking at MLS, I know you've had just about 90 minutes in it, but what do you see from the league, and how do you think you fit in?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: I think it's a great league. I think it's also really important for me because of my abilities, my qualities.
I need to use it to also stop the defenders, especially when they have their space because Ricky is someone who always has a really good view, especially when the player makes a run. So me playing around this fantastic team and this fantastic club is a really good opportunity for me.
Yeah, as a team we gist work together and just have success in this game.
Q. I know this is your first MLS game. They're not all like this, by the way. The atmosphere was a little bit different. You talked a little bit about it already, but have you experienced something like this before? Is this maybe like some games that you've played in Europe, and was it fun to play in that atmosphere?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: Yeah, I've played in this kind of atmosphere before, especially in Europe, and also in qualification also. Especially I think two years ago we played against Liverpool, so it was a great atmosphere. With this atmosphere it's also a fantastic atmosphere.
Q. (Off microphone)
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: Yes, I really do.
Q. You guys led through a goal in the 70th minute. You guys looked much brighter than Inter Miami for large parts of the game, and unfortunately, they got a goal in the last minute. Are you at all disappointed to let the three points go?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: Yeah, we are disappointed, but we are really good with the kind of football that we played. We find the spaces, and yeah, it's really disappointed that we let the three points go.
No matter, we needed to have a good start of the season for us to win this game, but yeah, all hope is not gone. We did a fantastic job. It was just a little bit luck I think that Messi had the last goal and also the red card also. It's something that really make us a little bit down.
As you can see, we were defending after the red card. So if we had a man really on the pitch, I think the results would have stayed 1-0.
Q. We saw you hit the ground a couple of times, and the medics came on and looked at you. How are you feeling after the game? Is everything okay?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: Yeah, everything is fine. Everything is fine now, yes. Thank you.
Q. Greg mentioned that you haven't gotten a lot of playing time with preseason and training. You just arrived here earlier this week and being able to play in this game, but there was a lot of moments in the attack where it looked like you guys could have capitalized. Maybe getting the chemistry would help. How excited are you to develop with the other attacking players, and how dangerous do you think you guys can be in MLS?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: As you can see, we have really young and talented players in this team. We have also up front with great talented skills with the Brazilian, with me, with Pec, and also with Ricky.
We just need a little bit time as time goes on because we just arrived. As you can see, we created a lot of chances. We should really finish.
Yeah, this is part of football. We need to take it and just move forward to the next game. That is the most important thing and just kill it as always. If we always play like this, trust me, we have all the abilities to kill everything.
Q. Playing with Ricky this game here, he definitely moves at a different speed and has a different IQ of the game. What was it like kind of getting to share the pitch with him tonight?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: Like I said, Ricky is a fantastic player. He has the eye to give the ball whenever I do the runs and these are kind of players I always want to play with, especially also in my last club also.
They know the kind of qualities I have, and I think Rick also knows the qualities I have and always puts the ball there whenever there is space. I think there is connection, and I think it's going to be a great connection in the coming few weeks.
Q. When you are making your debut in a new country, new fans, new situation, any added nerves or just excitement for you coming into today?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: It was really excitement for me. In this kind of situation I always take my calmness and always ready because I know that the atmosphere is different. It's my first game, and in football all you need to do is just to have that kind of confidence and just come out because if I put a lot of stress in me, then I would have been making a lot of mistakes and be out of the game.
So I think for me it was really a great thing for me with a lot of confidence because playing against Inter Miami and playing in front of this fantastic supporters give me a lot of boost. As you can see, it was really a great game all together.
Q. Just quickly, I'm sure you've played against great players your whole career, but this is a different team having legends like Messi, Busquets. How was that for you coming to a new country, new league and as a soccer fan, as a player, being able to play in a game like that?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: I think it's a different country, but it's the old ball game altogether. It's the same we play in Europe and also in the U.S.
Me playing alongside Messi and the rest, it's kind of something that always gives you the energy to also show yourself because playing against these fantastic players, it doesn't make you afraid. It rather gives you that boost to show whatever you have in yourself to prove yourself.
As you can see also, they didn't really have a lot of chances in the game. Yeah, it is what it is. We just need to focus on whatever that is left. This game is gone. At least we didn't lose. We had a point, and it's a great start for us. Thank you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports