North Carolina’s Fuka celebrates the own goal. (Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

Behind a stellar performance from goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland, the North Carolina Courage topped NJ/NY Gotham FC at Red Bull Arena on Sunday night, 1-0.

The National Women’s Soccer League match was decided by an own goal off Gotham defender Mandy Freeman, though the initial shot came from Courage midfielder Fuka.

The loss dropped struggling and last-place Gotham (12 points) to 4-13-0 while the Courage (19) improved to 5-7-4.

“We needed that,” Rowland said. “We needed those three points as a collective group. We knew that coming in it was a big game, so we were focused on our performance and playing well. We were patient, we created opportunities when we needed to, and sometimes we didn’t capitalize but we did on one. It was energizing.”

The first half saw multiple chances from the Courage’s Diana Ordóñez and Tess Boade, each creating opportunities for the other but both keepers would come up huge for their respective teams, but Gotham’s Michelle Betos kept the net clear of Courage goals through the first 45. Sunday marked the NWSL starting debut for midfielder Boade, who joined the Courage in March.

“I found out yesterday before training,” Boade said. “I’ve been training hard for six months, just waiting for an opportunity. Obviously we’ve had really good players out this week, so it’s exciting to get the chance to step up and fill a role that the team needed.”

Added Courage head coach Sean Nahas: “I was thinking about how we were going to play the spaces we wanted to expose. And I felt that she could do a good job of getting into those little pockets and getting on the ball. That’s something that suits her. She did a good job of it.”

Coming out of halftime, both teams got back to work, but Gotham stepped up its game, forcing Rowland to pull out some of her best saves of the season. Tested by dangerous Gotham free kicks at the top of the 18, Rowland continued to stump the hosts.

In the 81st minute, Fuka put an end to the wait. The Japanese international blasted a shot on frame, but a deflection off Freeman sent the ball sailing past Betos and into the back of the net.

“It was a gritty result,” Nahas said. “Katelyn Rowland stood on her head today, she was absolutely brilliant. You find a way and that’s important, but I felt like we were hesitant in the final third, everything slowed down when we got into the final third. The game was just too up and down for me. But we got three points on the road and now we get to come home and play a few games.”

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.