CWG Hockey: Why India’s second goal against Ghana was not an own goal

India’s second goal in its CWG hockey opener against Ghana was credited to Neha Goyal even though the final touch came from an opponent’s stick. Here is why -

India won 5-0 against Ghana in its opening encounter in Birmingham. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Since 2013, FIH has stopped accounting for goals scored via a deflection off a defender’s stick from within the circle as an own/self-goal.

The present practice was finalised after the international body trialed a rule in 2012. According to that rule, a goal resulting from a deflection off a defender due to a shot from an attacker — even from outside the box —would stand.

At the time, leading players such as Germany’s Moritz Fürste and Australia’s Jamie Dwyer criticised this experiment. They felt this would reduce the sport to a game of chance as teams would fire in shots from outside the box, hoping for a lucky touch. Soon, the trial was scrapped and the present practise established

According to the FIH rules, updated earlier this year, a goal can be scored when the ball is played within the circle by an attacker and does not travel outside the circle before passing completely past the goal line. 

The rule allows that the ball may be played by a defender or touch their body before or after being played in the circle by an attacker. But in such a situation, the goal would be credited to the attacker who made the final touch within the box. 

Hence, Neha Goyal was credited with the goal instead of the Ghanaian defender.