own goal

[ ohn gohl ]

noun

1. Soccer, Ice Hockey. an unintentional goal scored to the offense when the ball struck by a defensive player goes into the defensive team’s net: : o.g.

   The goalkeeper's own goal was a stunningly bad moment.

2. an unintentional harm or disadvantage to oneself or one’s associates, brought about by one’s own action, often when the intention was to harm or disadvantage someone else:

   The prosecution’s relentless badgering proved to be an own goal, and a much-relieved defendant went free.

own goal

noun

1. soccer a goal scored by a player accidentally playing the ball into his own team's net o.g
2. informal.
   any action that results in disadvantage to the person who took it or to a party, group, etc with which that person is associated

Word History and Origins

Origin of own goal¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

He has scored four goals, created two more and had a claim on another that was given as an own goal in Sunday's 3-0 win over Leicester at Old Trafford.

From BBC

At the other end, they are facing more shots on their own goal per match, are making more errors leading to those shots and they are not winning as many duels.

From BBC

Danish international Sofie Junge Pedersen was one of the architects of the letter, external which describes the sponsorship as "worse than an own goal" adding that women’s football "deserves better" from its governing body.

From BBC

Price, 21, fired home a second and Mitov's own goal made it three before half time.

From BBC

Jay was a defender at Whitehaven Miners Football Club, and even scoring an own goal "didn't dampen his enthusiasm", his parents said.

From BBC