7M - Panama 0-1 Croatia: Budimir Strikes as Croatia Edge Panama 1-0 to Keep World Cup Hopes Alive

Croatia bounced back from their opening-match defeat to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in their second Group L fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Toronto Stadium.

The match carried immense historical weight for the Vatreni, marking the legendary Luka Modric's landmark 200th international appearance for his country. However, it was Panama who looked the sharper and more physical side in a cagey first half. The Central Americans came agonizingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 23rd minute when José Luis Rodríguez unleashed a powerful header, only to be denied by a spectacular fingertip save from Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković, who deflected the ball onto the crossbar.

The turning point came at halftime when Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić introduced veteran striker Ante Budimir. The tactical substitution yielded instant results in the 54th minute; Josip Stanišić delivered a pinpoint, low cross from the right flank, allowing an unmarked Budimir to tap it home at the far post.

Desperate to rescue their tournament, Panama threw bodies forward and created several high-pressure sequences. Yet, they found an impenetrable wall in Livaković, who made a flurry of world-class stops to preserve the clean sheet.

With this crucial three points, Croatia move to third in the Group L standings, staying firmly in the race for the knockout stages ahead of their decisive final group clash against Ghana. Conversely, the narrow defeat condemns Panama to an early elimination from the tournament.