Ok, we disagree. Haven’t seen any evidence it was off target. Maybe it would have gone directly to the keeper, but that’s just too bad. Here is from the fifa fact sheet on own goals “Own goals are rare in FIFA World CupTM finals and they are often surrounded by confusion about whether the attacker should be awarded the goal or not. To help resolve these kinds of issues, FIFA published guidelines in 1997 classifying an own goal as when a player plays the ball directly into his own net or when he redirects an opponent’s shot, cross or pass into his own goal. Shots that are on target (i.e. goal-bound) and touch a defender or rebound from the goal frame and bounce off a defender or goalkeeper are not considered as own goals.” https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/mencompwc/51/97/89/fs-301_06a_fwc-own-goal.pdf Doesn’t mater. It was a game winner either way.
I think it may have since Lindahl was a fair bit off her line and completely facing Heath; that doesn't mean it was on target. It likely wasn't a cross, but keepers collect crosses played at them all the time. Agreed that it doesn't really matter who gets assigned the goal.
This completely wrong. The shot has to be ON TARGET prior to the deflection for the goal to go to the shooter. If it is OFF TARGET (like Heath's) it is an OG. Simple rule. The intentions of the defender are irrelevant. Now, if an offensive player deflects it in, then you have to determine intentions in some situations (initial shot on target, deflected in by offensive player) to correctly credit the goal. If the touch is intentional, then that player gets the goal. If not, then it goes to the original shooter. If the initial shot is off target, then the offensive player who directs it into the goal (intentional or not) gets it. Same thing if defender has the first touch. Kind of like the Zardes goal vs Guyana. His goal but he was completely clueless.
So, by that this is either an own goal or the player passing the ball gets the goal: Clearly Zardes had no clue about where the ball was or was going.
Ok now let’s talk about the 3rd goal USA scored against France in the quarterfinals. Why did the commentators call Tobin’s goal a bicycle kick. To me, it was a high volley but not quite a bicycle. What’s the official definition of a bicycle? On the goals by Allie long, Jess McDonald ,and crystal Dunn , all directly from corner kicks, has this ever happened before? And has a keeper scored on a goal kick prior to,Ashton Harris. Wow .6-0 with 5 different Tar Heels scoring ! Probably left kelia ohai home to,keep from running up the score too high. On to England in the semis !