Felix Chenkam and Nouhou scored first-half goals in the first 12 minutes, pacing Seattle Sounders 2 to a 2-1 road triumph over LA Galaxy 2 at the Stub Hub Track & Field Center on Saturday.
Ethan Zubak notched the lone tally for LA just before halftime but S2 would manage to hold the hosts off the scoresheet in the second half to preserve the victory.
S2 struck first in the 7th minute after midfielder Francisco Narbon broke free on a counterattack and sent a cross in the direction of an onrushing Chenkam. The Cameroonian international, making his first start of the season for S2, put a sliding finish past LA goalkeeper Bennett Sneddon to stake the visitors to the early lead.
Nouhou doubled that lead just five minutes later after making a run on goal and lashing a perfectly placed strike past Sneddon and into the top corner, pushing the score to 2-0.
S2 would continue to press the action throughout the first half, nearly grabbing a third goal on a couple of occasions. Midfielder Zach Mathers had perhaps the best opportunity at the half-hour mark but his shot against Sneddon on a breakaway went wide of the goal.
Zubak would cut the lead in half on the stroke of halftime after he managed to circumvent the S2 backline and found himself with in a one-on-one with Seattle ‘keeper Tyler Miller. Zubak dribbled around Miller and poked the finish into the open net, cutting the deficit to 2-1 as the contest hit halftime.
Neither side would manage to crack the scoresheet in the second half, however, allowing the 2-1 scoreline to stand as the final and securing a welcome victory for S2 coming off their disappointing 3-0 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps 2 last weekend.
The win moved S2’s record to 3-2-2 and nine points on the season ahead of their next match, which will see the club return home to the friendly confines of Starfire Sports to take on the Real Monarchs SLC on Saturday, April 22.
