Oops, times 8: World Cup sets new record for own-goals

Mexico’s Edson Alvarez (right), scores an own goal past his goalkeeper during the group F match between Mexico and Sweden, at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Yekaterinburg Arena in Yekaterinburg , Russia, Wednesday, June 27, 2018. Photo: AP

MOSCOW: Mexico defender Edson Alvarez’s 74th-minute own-goal against Sweden on Wednesday was the seventh time at this year’s World Cup that a player has sent the ball into his team’s net — a tournament record — and Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer made it eight on an unlucky bounce.

And there are still 20 more matches to be played.

As with many of the earlier miscues, Alvarez was trying to clear a cross in the box. But it bounced off of him and inside the left goalpost as ‘keeper Guillermo Ochoa watched helplessly.

Sommer found a more creative way to calamity: He scored the tying goal for Costa Rica deep in injury time when Bryan Ruiz’s penalty kick hit the crossbar and ricocheted off the back of his head and into the net, prompting a rueful smile.

Mexico lost 3-0 and Switzerland drew 2-2 but Alvarez and Sommer can take heart — Mexico, Switzerland and the host Russians are the only teams so far to make it out of their groups after scoring on themselves.