Inter Miami 3, LA Galaxy 1
Q. Looked like you had a chance National Team /SHR-F. Love to hear about what you saw in the play to get the ball past the keeper and what that does for the team in the moment and your ability to believe that you could get something out of that game.
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: Yeah, first of all, I would just give thanks to God or everything.
Secondly, yeah, we came here for a win, and it's either a win or a point. Unfortunately it didn't go as we planned.
With my goal, I always wanted to that space. I saw that space and I thought, let me just run with the ball and see whatever that will happen, and at times with God being so good, everything went through good.
I would say we had a very good first half, and second half, also, there was a lot of space. And you know with the weather and the altitude and all these kind of things, it was also calm. But it's not on excuse.
I would say we just lost and now we keep focused in on the next game. Now the most important thing is focus on the Wednesday game and give everything to God in this stage.
Q. Greg talked a little bit about how he really liked your directness and maybe in the last handful of games, five, six, seven games, he thought your directness has really led to your success in scoring more goals. Do you feel like that's something you've seen get a little better this season, too?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: Yeah, kudos to Coach because he always tells me to always try no matter what because I always cut in to my right. So every training, he always tells me, no matter what, I should just keep going to my left and touch the ball with my left. No matter what happens, I should just keep trying no matter what. At least I will be a success even if I fail for ten times, there will be a successful one.
So I really thank the coaches a lot for them giving me that faith and that confidence to do what I have to do.
So I would just keep doing it and keep doing it, no matter how I feel and I know with one movement, it's going to be a success.
Q. Looking ahead to Wednesday, you had to play the whole game here, and there's a lot of miles, a lot of miles to travel back, playing 90 minutes tonight. How do you feel right now in the moment looking ahead to Wednesday? Do you feel like you'll be ready to go?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: Yeah, we are ready, not only me, the team is really ready. We have lost everything in this season, even though we have some few games left. But the most important thing for us as a team is just to focus on this Wednesday because it's really important. We just have to go all-out. Blood or sweat, we just have to do everything to win in our home game because now we have an advantage to play a home game.
And we play in our home game, we need to show the collections and the individual player and as a team play, also, because we have to win on Wednesday no matter what. There is no excuses for us anymore. We just need to give the supporters what is they need because this season has been ups and downs for us; and the only thing that we can take home is just to focus on this Cup game and also the Campeones game ahead of us, and we just have to see whatever that comes out. But we have to win and just go to the next stage no matter what.
Q. Last season was so euphoric. This season has been so challenging like you said. Have you found playing with new players, and do you think the team has ever adjusted to kind of the changes that have been made. Has that taken any enjoyment out of playing this season for you?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: I think it hasn't. Because the players that came, even though they are new, they also know the system. It's just about finding the right moment, the right time.
You know, as they are really new players, that doesn't mean they are not doing their job. They are also doing everything possible to also fit in the philosophy and everything.
But as you can see, our season didn't really start good, and we don't need to put blames on the new players, and they are not doing what we are do. We lose as a team and we win as a team, and no matter what we need to focus and do our best on Wednesday. That's the most important thing.
Whatever that is left behind should be left behind and just focus on the future, which is on Wednesday. We take one game at a time, and just keep focusing and just keep winning the game and we'll just see whatever happens next season because I think next season is going to be a greater season for us, especially we have our play maker Riqui back.
Q. I asked Greg the same question. Winning Leagues Cup would be a silver lining to this season. Would you consider it a success if you won Leagues Cup? What would that be for you?
JOSEPH PAINTSIL: Yeah, it's going to be a success for us. Because, you know, we are having a bad season. All we have to do is just win this Leagues Cup for every eyes and every bad mouth that has been saying all these kinds of things to us, to just shut down and shut up and see us winning the Cup. That is the most important thing.
I think the fans, also, really are expecting the Cup that we are playing, the Leagues Cup. And I wish and hope and I pray that I will be in the final and the final is going to be in L.A., and I wish we play against whoever that qualifies, also, to the next final and then we just need to play. And I assure you, if we go to the final, we going to win this Leagues Cup.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports