A Scottish woman and her Norwegian husband travelled to Boston to root for both teams – which are each celebrating their first time in the World Cup since 1998.
The pair were among the fans cheering on Norway in their 4-1 victory over Iraq on Tuesday, with the fourth goal coming seconds before the final whistle.
Alison Nesvo, 47, and her Norwegian husband Torfin, 50, have been able to support both nations while in Boston.
Mr Nesvo, who said they also travelled from their home in Norway to the World Cup in celebration of his 50th birthday, said: “It’s the first time both countries are here since 98.
“When we both qualified, we just had to go, and we are extremely lucky that both teams played their first game in Boston. So there it was, it was a no-brainer.”
Mrs Nesvo joked: “We did say that there might be a wee bit of friction at home when Scotland and Norway get to the final.
“Because of course, Scotland’s gonna beat Norway, and then might be a bit of trouble there.”
The couple were at the official Boston fan zone, in the city plaza, which showed the game on Tuesday night.
No Scotland, No Party, Yes Sir, I Can boogie, and a myriad of other Scottish football chants could be heard intermittently throughout the night, as saltires were flown and kilts were donned by many.
Scotland fans Michael Bryan, 45, and Neil Gunn, 43, watched the game in their hotel before heading out to the fan zone after the match.
Mr Bryan said: “It was fantastic, it was nice to see Erling Haaland take his spot on the global stage. It’s also great to see Iraq here, given the current political climate.”Mr Gunn, who had tried to watch the game but after one too many drinks missed it, added: “I’m not gonna lie, I was half-conscious on the sofa during it.”
Kilt-clad Columba Millander said: “It’s great to see the Norway fans come in.
“We’ve been here in Boston for a couple of days, and seeing all the Scots here is great, but the Norway fans as well are class, and so seeing another big fanbase was great, and seeing their chance and their productivity about getting to the game of supporting their team was fantastic, and just seeing how they played was amazing.”
Norway fan Christian Haug, 30, said: “We just needed as many goals as we could, because the best third places go on, so it’s just to make sure that we have the best possible position.”