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

And they lashed away nine clearances in any direction that wasn’t toward their own goal.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

These direct dribbles, paired with relentless running off the ball in behind a defence, naturally force opposing teams back towards their own goal.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

This is much higher than the bank’s own goal of a “midteens” ROE, which was reiterated by CEO David Solomon during the bank’s first-quarter earnings call on Jan. 15.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

Porto defender Martim Fernandes made the headlines for all the wrong reasons during Thursday's Europa League quarter-final draw with Nottingham Forest by scoring a bizarre own goal.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

When a free kick has been awarded, the kicker's opponents shall not approach within six yards of the ball, unless they are standing on their own goal line.

From Association Football And How To Play It by Cameron, John