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

In the round of 32, they were tied deep into extra time with Cape Verde—the smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup’s knockout stage—before an own goal let Argentina escape.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

That crumb of optimism was swept away when Vini capitalised on a second outbreak of world-class dithering in front of their own goal.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

When the Americans took an early lead on an own goal from Australia, the crowd broke into a raucous cheer that gave way to chants of “USA! USA!”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

Forward Folarin Balogun, who scored twice against Paraguay, tore apart the Australian defense by sprinting past a defender down the left side and sending in a cross that turned into an own goal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

You've got the wind against you; you've got everything against you; you've got to fight on your own goal line, not once, but twenty times.

From The Varmint by Gruger, Frederic Rodrigo