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

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 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

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

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

His own goal was the Woodbridge football team and, after that, a locomotive on the run to New York.

From Tutors' Lane by Lewis, W. S. (Wilmarth Sheldon)