World Cup The Croatia national team secured its first points in the 2026 World Cup early Wednesday morning in Toronto, defeating Panama 1-0 in the second round of Group L. Three shots, only one on target, and at 45’+2. This was the statistic that marked the end of the first half of the match. The first half did little to prevent fans, who stayed awake on this side of the Atlantic, from dozing off. Croatia had more possession but struggled to break through the compact defensive barrier set up by Panama, which featured two tightly organized lines. Baturina, a creative midfielder from Como and the author of the lone on-target shot, was the major exception to the apathy of the European team, which finished third in the last World Cup. On the other side, it was in transition, particularly on the right flank, that the American team focused its efforts. They caused several scares for the checkered team, who repeatedly saw the ball arrive dangerously in the area, but finishing was not a strong point for Thomas Christiansen’s squad. The score was 0-0 at halftime, and Zlatko Dalic quickly showed he was not satisfied. However, he may have regretted not bringing Kramaric and Budimir onto the field right at the start of the second half, as it was Budimir who ignited joy at BMO Field in Toronto at the 54th minute. Stanisic combined with Pasalic, the full-back advanced down the line, and crossed for the Osasuna forward, who simply had to tap in at the far post to open the scoring. The goal prompted Panama to take more risks, and just three minutes later, they could have even suffered a 0-2, had Pasalic not wasted a counter-attack initiated by Modric, who made his 200th international appearance. The lead elevated Croatia’s game for a few minutes, as they not only managed to close their lines much better (being in front, they didn’t have to take as many risks) but were also more effective and precise in their pressing. This did not prevent Panama from having the best goal-scoring opportunities of the match at the 68th minute, but Livakovic was there to save Murillo’s low shot and Harvey’s header. Panama’s pressure increased, Croatia managed to hold on, and even with a lackluster performance, they secured three points and positioned themselves just one point behind England and Ghana. They will face the Ghanaians for qualification in the final round. Panama, which will take on the English team, confirmed that they will finish at the bottom of the group and, therefore, will not advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup.
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