Joseph Paintsil scored in the 68th minute, helping the Los Angeles Galaxy secure a 1-1 draw against Sporting San Miguelito on Thursday during the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup in Penonome, Panama.
The second leg of this two-match series will take place on Wednesday in Carson, California. The winning team will face Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant in the next round.
The Galaxy’s equalizer came after they moved the ball down the right side. Joao Klauss assisted Paintsil, who took a touch before launching a right-footed shot from near the penalty spot.
Sporting San Miguelito took an early lead in the 37th minute when Rodrigo Tello scored. Angel Valencia’s cross from the right found Tello unmarked on the left side of the penalty area, allowing him to head the ball over Galaxy goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski into the far corner of the net.
Both goalkeepers, Marcinkowski and San Miguelito’s Jose Calderon, made two saves in the match.