The golden goal is a sports rule used in association football, Australian rules football, bandy, field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, and rugby league to decide the winner of a match (typically a knock-out match) in which scores are equal at the end of regular time.
The golden goal was introduced due to perceived failings of other means of resolving a draw (tie) in round-robin or knock-out tournaments where a winner is required.
It was hoped that the golden goal would produce more attacking play during extra time, and would reduce the number of penalty shootouts.
[4] The first golden goal recorded was on 13 March 1993 by Australia against Uruguay in a quarter-final match of the World Youth Championship.
In MLS Cup 1996, Eddie Pope scored 3:25 into extra time as D.C. United beat the LA Galaxy 3–2.
The first golden goal in World Cup history took place in 1998, as Laurent Blanc scored to enable France to defeat Paraguay in the round of 16.
[7] In 2000, France defeated Italy in extra time in the 2000 European Championship final when David Trezeguet scored a golden goal.
The 90 minutes had produced a 1-1 draw and in extra time the Brazilian player Mário Jardel scored the golden goal and won the first ever UEFA Super Cup in club history.
However, the 2003 Women's World Cup final was decided by a golden goal as Germany defeated Sweden 2–1 with a header by Nia Künzer in the 98th minute.
In extra time, Ajax was able to take advantage of GAK having two players sent off when Tomáš Galásek scored from a penalty in the 103rd minute.
However, the silver goal would eliminate the Czech Republic as Traianos Dellas scored for Greece after a corner kick in the last two seconds of the first period of extra time.
On the other hand if the Greeks had scored at the start of either period of extra time, the Czechs would have a decent opportunity to come back in the match.
[15] The golden goal rule was abolished in NCAA soccer in 2022, used the FIFA overtime procedure as above, but was reinstated for post-season play in 2024.
[17] At the 2022 Women's Bandy World Championship, the final of Pool B (second division) was decided by a golden goal.
The golden goal rule comes into use at the end of regulation of every National Hockey League game where the score is tied.
This has resulted in extremely long contests, such as the "Easter Epic", a playoff series-deciding match which ended in the midst of its fourth overtime.
The Winter Olympics ice hockey tournament used the golden goal rule only in the gold medal game, with a 20-minute period of 5-on-5.
Kirill Kaprizov scored at 9:40 of overtime as the Russian Olympic Committee beat Germany in the 2018 men's final.