Kangaroo Brings Soccer Match To A Standstill

Sports fans may be tuning into the World Cup, but a kangaroo stole the show at a soccer match in Australia's capital.

The mammal bounded onto a stadium field in Canberra on Saturday at half-time, in a match between the Belconnen United "Blue Devils" and the Canberra Football Club.

Then the eastern gray kangaroo leaped back on the field during the second half of the game.

"And the kangaroo is on the field to play again," a commentator announced, "racing across the field, scattering players left and right, bearing down on goal."

Officials and players punted soccer balls toward the marsupial, hoping it would take a hint and bound away. But they were no match for those strong hind legs which jumped over and deflected balls.

Unphased, the kangaroo decided to lounge in front of the goal — until a pickup truck ushered it off the field.

The history of Australia's kangaroos as "pests" is "deeply and widely entrenched," according to scholars.

The Australian government reported last year that the country's kangaroo population, at about 45 million, was nearly double that of humans.

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