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

From the moment the World Cup organizers announced that they were expanding the 2026 tournament from 32 to 48 teams, it looked like a spectacular own goal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

If the World Cup has been trying for Iran, it’s been frustrating for Belgium, which needed an own goal from Egypt’s Mohamed Hany to escape with a draw in its opener.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 21, 2026

Fighting hard, the Ridgley team prevented the visitors from advancing and forced them to kick from their own goal line.

From The Mark of the Knife by Ernst, Clayton H.