The most agile athlete on the field in Wednesday’s match between Philadelphia Union and New York City FC was at night.
In the 21st minute, a raccoon invaded the field and evaded capture for the next two minutes, despite the persistent effort of a Union team armed with trash cans. The furry from Philadelphia was eventually led into a trap and trapped in a can.
The effort won the hearts of the crowd and the Apple TV announcers, who urged the raccoon to “keep going” as the crew circled. The players were less amused by the strike.
The good news for animal lovers is that Union announced that the raccoon was turned over to a company called Hoffman’s Exterminating (one would hope their capabilities went beyond extermination) and safely released into the wild, or as close as it gets. nature in Philadelphia.
NYCFC led 1-0 at the time of the Raccoon’s arrival and doubled that lead with a goal from Hannes Wolf in first-half stoppage time. Unión got on the scoreboard in the 47th minute with a goal from Julián Carranza, but ultimately fell short despite a 26-10 shot discrepancy.
The loss dropped the Union’s record to 3-5-4, a rough start after posting the league’s best record last season and finishing as runners-up to Los Angeles FC in the playoffs.
