By OkayGoal 
Ghanaian attacker Joseph Paintsil made his mark with a late assist but could not prevent LA Galaxy from slipping to a 2-1 defeat away to Columbus Crew in MLS.
The hosts seized control before the break, taking the lead on 41 minutes when Dániel Gazdag struck after good work from Hugo Picard.
Columbus doubled their advantage just after half-time, Diego Rossi finishing a move set up by Max Arfsten in the 47th minute to leave Galaxy with a mountain to climb. Greg Vanney turned to his bench on 62 minutes, introducing Paintsil and Harbor Miller in a bid to inject fresh energy into the attack.
Paintsil responded with real impact, driving at the Columbus defence and finally sparking hope in the 86th minute when he slipped a clever pass through for Gabriel Pec, who made it 2-1 with a tidy finish. Galaxy pushed for an equaliser in the closing minutes but Columbus held firm to take all three points.
Despite the loss, Paintsil’s bright cameo and assist were encouraging signs as LA Galaxy now prepare for their next league match away to Real Salt Lake on Sunday.