A top-flight football match in Australia was briefly halted after a swarm of seagulls descended on the pitch during the closing stages. The unusual incident occurred during the A-League encounter between Melbourne Victory and Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Friday.
In the 90th minute, the birds swooped onto the turf and gathered around the spot where Lachlan Bayliss was preparing to take a free-kick. The seagulls, known locally for stealing chips, appeared to shift their attention to football as they encircled the player.
The match finished 2-2, but it was the seagulls that dominated the headlines after clips of the episode spread quickly online. One X user wrote: "Seagulls love their football!" Another commented: "Peak A-League when the pitch is covered by seagulls. Pure, unadulterated chaos." Some supporters joked about Brighton & Hove Albion, suggesting the scene was more fitting for their home fixtures, while others speculated that food thrown from the terraces may have attracted the birds.
Despite the disruption, Victory manager Arthur Diles declined to comment on the seagulls in his post-match interview, instead focusing on his team's performance. "I think we deserve more out of these two games, and we got bit in the end," he said. "The performance is something I've got to focus on, and the performance was good for a lot of that game, so that's a pleasing sign."
Newcastle Jets, who currently sit top of the A-League, also chose not to raise the issue, despite the birds disrupting a late free-kick that could have offered a golden chance to secure all three points.
