A Major League Soccer game was suspended for several minutes Wednesday night after a raccoon invaded the field.
A raccoon ran up and down the field at Subaru Park during a game between the Philadelphia Union and New York City FC, dodging several stadium employees who tried to catch it using garbage cans and other objects.
NFL schedule announcement? NBA and NHL playoffs? Well, this was the funniest thing in Wednesday night sports.
“This is great entertainment,” MLS play-by-play announcer Callum Williams said during the match.
Former MLS player Karen Carr, who also answered the call, said: “At what point do we just root for him?”
MLS’s PR X account playfully named the raccoon “Raquinho” in a post.
“Laquinho the raccoon spent 161 seconds on the field tonight, the most by a raccoon in @MLS history.”
Even MLS commentator Taylor Twellman called the Orlando vs. Miami game without Lionel Messi and advised viewers to switch to the Philadelphia game to watch the raccoons because his “phone broke” .
Players from both teams stood on the bench for the rest of the game, just out of the path of the raccoon, as mesmerized by the spectacle as the fans in attendance.
One of the stadium employees eventually captured the raccoon by covering it with a garbage can. At least 10 people surrounded the trash can, six of them using poster board to overturn it and try to get the raccoon inside. A worker ran into the field with another trash can and placed it on top of the raccoon to secure it. Two workers then fled the pitch, leaving the raccoon trapped between two trash cans.
“Go, Raccoon. We almost got away. We can get out. Don’t hurt him!” Mr. Williams said in a series of voiceovers. I got it!
The raccoon was safely released after being removed from the stadium grounds by Hoffman’s, a local pest control company and the association’s corporate sponsor, a team spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports Wednesday night.
“Rest assured, our new friend was released unharmed,” the spokesperson said.
