Own goal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An own goal occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents.
The term has become a metaphor for any action that backfires on a person.
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[edit] Football
In football, when a player kicks or otherwise causes the ball to go into his own side's goal, it results in a goal being scored for the opposition.
An own goal cannot be scored directly from an attacking throw-in or a defending free kick (a corner kick will be awarded to the attacking team if so should happen), and under certain other circumstances.
The player who does this is personally "credited" with the goal as part of the statistical abstract of the game.
When a goal is scored after a shot (by the attacking side) is deflected into the net by a defending player, whether this is scored as a goal for the attacker or as an own goal is determined by whether the original shot was on target. If it was, the attacker is awarded the goal, even if the shot would have otherwise been easily saved by the goalkeeper.
Such resulted in a review of a June 10, 2006 game between England and Paraguay at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where a David Beckham free kick grazed the head of Carlos Gamarra, and it went in the back of the net. FIFA officials initially declared the goal an own goal on Gamarra, but the Technical Studies Group of FIFA reviewed the goal. The goal remained credited to Gamarra despite the Group's declaration that any shot destined to reach the goal area that accidentally bounces off a defending player into their own goal would be awarded to the player who delivered the shot (in this case, Beckham).
[edit] Other sports
When they occur in other sports, own goals are not "credited" in the same manner as in football, but instead credited towards the attacker whose attempt forced the defensive error.
[edit] Ice hockey
If a goal is scored by a player on the defending team, credit for the goal goes to the last player on the other team to have touched the puck, mainly to the belief that the player credited with the goal had his shot deflected. This can occur when the defensive team has an empty net, either late in the game or because of a delayed penalty call, and is one of two ways in which a goalie usually is credited with a goal. This has happened numerous times in the game and caused Billy Smith of the New York Islanders to be credited as the first netminder to score an NHL goal.
[edit] Basketball
When accidentally scoring at an opposing team's basket (basketball's equivalent of an "own goal"), the goal is credited to an attacking player. In NBA and NCAA rules, the goal is credited to the player on the scoring team who is closest to the rim; under FIBA rules, the player designated captain is credited with the basket.
[edit] American football and Canadian football
When a ball-carrier is tackled or exits the field of play within the end zone being defended by his team, the result is a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points.
[edit] Australian rules football
Own goals are frequent in Australian rules football, since they are often deliberate. They may form part of a legitimate defensive play.
If the defending side causes the ball to pass through their own goalposts, this is called a rushed behind. One point is awarded to the attacking team and the defending team will regain control of the football after a short timeout.
A goal to the attacking team, on the other hand, would be worth six points and would result in the ball being returned to the middle of the ground (and possibly to the opponents).
Therefore a defending player, if under pressure from attacking players, may deliberately score an own goal in order to minimise the attacking player's gain, and regain control of the football.
[edit] Infamous own goal scorers
Several notable instances in sports (not just football) where players scored on their own goal.
- Staf Van Den Buys, who scored three own goals in one match.
- Nicola Caricola, whose own goal started the Curse of Caricola for the MetroStars of Major League Soccer.
- Andrés Escobar, a Colombian defender who was murdered after his own goal in the 1994 World Cup that resulted in his team's elimination.
- Tom Boyd of Scotland scored an own goal - which turned out to be the winner for Brazil - in the opening game of the 1998 World Cup when the ball ricocheted off the goalpost and hit him.
- Goalkeepers who accidentally threw the ball into their own net include Bjarte Flem, Gary Sprake and Janusz Jojko
- Jonathan Woodgate in his first game for Real Madrid after his recovery from injury - he later received a red card, making it one of the worst debut appearances of all time.
- Frank Sinclair, who scored own goals in consecutive games in 1999 whilst playing for Leicester City, and later scored an infamous own goal in a game against Middlesbrough
- Steve Smith, NHL defenceman who accidentally scored on his own team, the Edmonton Oilers in the 1986 NHL Divisional Finals. In the third period of the seventh and deciding game against the rival Calgary Flames, with the score tied 2-2, he made a pass from behind his own net that hit goaltender Grant Fuhr and bounced into the cage. The goal, credited to Calgary forward Perry Berezan, stood up as the game winner and eliminated the Oilers from playoff contention.
- Sergei Gonchar, NHL defenseman who not only deflected his own unpressured outlet pass off the back of Olaf Kolzig's skate on November 14, 2003 while a member of the Washington Capitals, but redirected an opposition player's cross-ice pass five-hole on Marc-Andre Fleury on November 13, 2006, almost three years to the day, as a Pittsburgh Penguin.
- Djimi Traoré, a defender who attempted to perform a spectacular backheel, but ended up sliding the ball in his own net in the process.
- Chris Nicholl, who scored all the goals in a two-all draw between Aston Villa and Leicester.
- Brian Gayle, the captain of Sheffield United headed an own goal in a match against hated rivals Leeds in 1992, handing the First Division championship to Leeds.
- Chris Brass, a Bury defender who scored one of the most hilarious own goals ever when his attempted clearance struck him in the face and went past the 'keeper, Brass suffered a broken nose in the process.
- Gary Mabbutt and Des Walker, who both scored own goals in extra time to give their opponents victory in FA Cup finals.
- Tony Popovic, while playing for Crystal Palace in the 2004-05 season spectacularly backheeled a cross into the far corner of his own net to score for Portsmouth.
