Watch: A kangaroo invades a football pitch, delays play (it can only happen in Australia)
Ground keepers tried to chase the animal away unsuccessfully as it jumped around the pitch and covered the goalposts.
Football games disrupted by rain or other weather events are passe. In Canberra, Australia, a match of the National Women’s Premier League was interrupted by a kangaroo. The rogue marsupial decided to pay a visit to the Deakin Stadium in Canberra on Sunday afternoon, while a game between Canberra FC and Belconnen United was at half-time. The players returned from their break to find the kangaroo manning one of the goal posts. Videos and pictures of the incident were posted on Twitter. The kangaroo then came back during the second half, racing through the ground, scattering the players away and delaying play by about 30 minutes, the Associated Press said.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the ground staff spent almost 20 minutes trying to get the animal off the field, trying to kick footballs towards it and chasing after it. The kangaroo seemed unperturbed at first, laying down on the field at one point and dodging balls at another. Eventually, he escaped through an opening in the fence.