Scottish fans cheer despite rain at TRNSMT Festival
Fans are gathering at Glasgow's TRNSMT Festival for the crucial World Cup match between Scotland and Morocco.
The skies have cleared for Scotland's biggest music festival TRNSMT as fans prepare to watch the men's national team compete in a crucial World Cup match. Excitement is growing among supporters, especially in America, as Steve Clarke's team heads to Boston to face Morocco. After last Saturday's 1-0 win over Haiti, another win would guarantee qualification from the group stages for the first time - and a draw would almost certainly ensure a place in the last 32. The match will be shown in pubs and fan zones across the country – with the largest gathering taking place at Glasgow's TRNSMT Festival, where the match will be shown on giant screens from 11:00 pm BST. Thousands of members of the Tartan Army will also see action in Boston. TRNSMT organizers DF Concerts secured a late license to broadcast the match in the early hours of the morning despite concerns from local residents. Jeff Ellis, chief executive of DF Concerts, appealed for the festival to be a "sea of saltire" – but in the early hours of the event fans were wearing a variety of ponchos to stay dry. Steven Eyton and Claire Dolan said that Rain reminded them of old trips to TRNSMT's predecessor T in the Park. He had booked tickets for the festival and said the football was a bonus. "If we get an early goal it would be amazing and even if we lose, the place will be rocking. It's Scotland, we're used to the weather!" Friends Brooke, Lewis and Megan are trying to escape the weather by using Scottish flags.
Hay were, but were hopeful of a Scottish victory later on. “If Scotland had not won we would still have celebrated like we did,” he said. As the afternoon progressed, the rain subsided, and the sun came out in the early evening, allowing the Scotland jerseys to become more visible among the growing crowd. Not just football fans, but indie rock band Wolf Allies, who took second top billing on the main stage, dedicated to Scott McTominay and asked the crowd to jump on old favorite Bros, leading to a mass sing-along. Galway indie band Newdad supported Scotland's World Cup victory on the small King Tuts stage. Leading artist Richard Ashcroft is scheduled to finish at 22:15, which usually ends at 23:00. When the former Verve singer finishes, there will be pre-match entertainment. Singer and piper Cammy Barnes – who opened the festival just after noon – will return to the stage to play Flower of Scotland on the pipes just before the match begins. He told BBC Scotland News that he had the unique honor of opening and closing the festival on the same day. And he said he was proud to be trusted to play Flower of Scotland. "When you close the pipes and the audience continues singing, that moment can never be surpassed. It's a perfect moment that makes the skin on your hands stand up." Other artists performing Friday include veteran funk star Nile Rodgers and psych rock band Beta Band, who reunited last year after two decades. There will also be other fan zones across the country. g
Large music venues in Las Vegas such as OVO Hydro, St. Luke's and O2 Academy are all showing the match, although these require tickets to enter. The match will also be shown at Dundee's Livehouse and Kirkcaldy's Ice Arena. In Aberdeen, fans can gather in a city center ballroom while the match will be shown on big screens in Edinburgh's Gyle shopping centre. Smaller venues – such as rugby and tennis clubs – are also hosting viewing parties. Scotland and Morocco fans begin gathering outside Boston Stadium ahead of the match. But Scotland certainly have a major presence at nearby Patriot Place, where there is a row of bars and restaurants for fans to while away time before kick-off. Mike Noble has come from Aberdeen to support Scotland. He watched the opening match in the fan zone in downtown Boston, and said that Scotland's victory inspired him to spend on tickets tonight. “It cost me a new kidney, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so it's worth it,” he added. Pubs are also expecting huge crowds, after a hugely successful Saturday for the Haiti match. Earlier this week Louise McLean, of the Signature Pub Group, told BBC Scotland it was an incredible night. She said: "Oh my God, did those tills start ringing. We had record-breaking sales. It's a gift to a business that has suffered a lot over the last few years." The Scottish Beer and Pub Association predicted earlier this week that Scotland's group games
The event could generate an additional £7 million for pubs and bars, with an estimated 520,000 extra pints served during the game. Almost all Scottish councils, which approve extensions to licensing rules, have allowed pubs and clubs to remain open to show sports, even if they usually last longer than the normal closing time. A win for Scotland against Morocco – who drew 1-1 with Brazil last Saturday in their opening game – will guarantee progress to the next round with a game to spare. This would mean Scotland would have a good chance of progressing as one of the top two sides in the group. The eight best third-placed sides from the 12 groups will also get a chance to advance, so even a draw could be enough. This will leave Scotland on four points. A defeat would likely leave Scotland needing a result against five-time world champions Brazil in their final group game in Miami next Wednesday, or waiting for results from the other groups.