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.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of own goal

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

You have to put him in again after another goal, and also forcing the James Hill own goal.

From BBC

They lost at Stadium of Light before Christmas, when Woltemade scored an own goal, so they simply cannot let the Black Cats do the double over them.

From BBC

"I was so excited to bring her back, that was her little patch of flowers, so to see them cut off at the stalks is such an own goal by the council."

From BBC

The low point came on Feb. 18, when it hosted Wolves, the worst team in the league: Arsenal cruised to a 2-0 lead before settling for a draw due to a 94th-minute own goal.

From The Wall Street Journal

For us to go toe-to-toe with two Premier League teams and to only lose by an own goal is something I'm incredibly proud of.

From BBC