own goal

American  

[ohn gohl] / ˈoʊn ˌgoʊl /

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.

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own goal British  

noun

1.  o.g.  soccer a goal scored by a player accidentally playing the ball into his own team's net

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

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Etymology

Origin of own goal

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

own goal

Unfunny and out of bounds, offsides, an own goal — all of the things.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

But a 111th-minute own goal handed the three-time winners a 3-2 victory.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

The resulting chaos ultimately turned into an own goal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

But a lot of running towards his own goal as Panama made the most of the space England left.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026

Each player who reaches the enemy's goal safely may carry one stick back to his own goal, and may not be caught while carrying it back.

From Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium by Bancroft, Jessie Hubbell