Stunned silence as Scotland fans watch Morocco score at World Cup

Scotland fans at home and in the US are dejected after losing a crucial World Cup match against Morocco in Boston.

After defeating Haiti 1-0 last Saturday, loss leaves Scotland possibly needing a result against five times world champions Brazil in their final group game next Wednesday.

The match was shown in pubs and fan zones across the county – with the largest crowd at the TRNSMT festival in Glasgow.

There was stunned silence at the fan zone as Morocco scored after little more than a minute into the match.

But a couple of opportunities before the half-time whistle injected some hope back into the fans at Glasgow Green.

However a last hope for a goal with a corner kick in added time failed to get Scotland an equaliser.

Tens of thousands of members of the Tartan Army watched the action in Boston.

At 76 minutes on the clock, an image of Donny Strathie, a Scotland fan who passed away in Boston on Sunday, flashed up on the screen.

Fans around the ground rose to applaud the Tartan Army man, as did the Scotland manager Steve Clarke.

TRNSMT’s organisers DF Concerts secured a late licence to broadcast the match into the early hours of Saturday, despite concerns from local residents.

Indie rock band Wolf Alice, who had second top billing on the Main Stage, threw out a dedication to Scott McTominay before demanding the crowd jump up and down to old favourite Bros.

While Galway indie band NewDad declared they were backing Scotland to win the World Cup.

The rain cleared for fans ahead of the match which began at 23:00 BST.

The singer and piper Cammy Barnes – who opened the festival just after midday – returned to play Flower of Scotland on the pipes just before the match kicked off.

“When you cut the pipes off and the audience keeps singing, that moment can never be touched,” he told BBC Scotland News earlier.

“It’s a proper hair up on your arms moment.”

Other fan zones welcomed revellers across the length and breadth of the country.

In Glasgow large music venues like the OVO Hydro, Saint Luke’s and the O2 Academy screened the match, though they required tickets for entry, as did Dundee’s LiveHouse and the Ice Arena in Kirkcaldy.

In Aberdeen, fans flocked to places like the city’s Beach Ballroom while the Gyle Shopping Centre in Edinburgh showed the fixture on a large screen.

Scores of smaller venues – like rugby and tennis clubs – also hosted watch parties.

An impromptu ceilidh broke out at the Inverness fan zone ahead of the match.

Revellers spun their partners for a Gay Gordon’s to the dance tune Bits N Pieces, performed by Jarad Rowan, a favourite with the Tartan Army.

Fans at The Pitt fanzone in Edinburgh were downbeat at half-time.

Conor McCourt described the first 45 minutes as “awful”.

“It was dreadful,” he said. “Anything else would have been better than that.”

Thousands of Scotland and Morocco fans flocked to Boston Stadium throughout Friday.

Before the match, members of the Tartan Army said they were quietly confident – but were buzzing to be there regardless of the result.

Mike Noble travelled from Aberdeen to support Scotland.

He watched the opening match in Boston’s fan zone in the city centre, and said Scotland’s win persuaded him to splash out on tickets for tonight.

“It’s cost me a new kidney, but it’s once in a lifetime so it’s worth it,” he added.

Pubs to benefit from Scotland games

Pubs welcomed bumper crowds, after a hugely successful Saturday for the Haiti game.

Earlier this week Louise MacLean of the Signature Pub Group told BBC Scotland it had been an incredible night.

She said: “My lord, did those tills ring. We had record breaking sales. That is a gift to a trade that has been so damaged over the past few years.”

The Scottish Beer and Pub Association estimated earlier this week that Scotland’s group games could generate an additional £7m for pubs and bars, with an estimated 520,000 extra pints expected to be poured out during the game.

Almost all of Scotland’s councils, who approve extensions to licensing rules, have allowed pubs and clubs to stay open to show the games despite them often continuing beyond normal closing times.

Can Scotland still qualify for the next round?

A win for Scotland against Morocco – who drew 1-1 with Brazil last Saturday in their opening game – would have allowed them to progress into the next round with a game to spare.

With the eight best third placed sides, out of 12 groups, also going through, a draw is could have also been enough. That would have left Scotland sitting on four points.

But the loss means Scotland could need a result against five times world champions Brazil in their final group game next Wednesday in Miami to progress.

Otherwise they will face an anxious wait on results from other groups.

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