Croatia booked a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Group L clash, a result that also confirmed Panama’s elimination with one match remaining.
Panama started strongly at Toronto Stadium and came close in the first half, with goalkeeper Dominik Livaković producing a key save to tip José Luis Rodríguez’s header onto the crossbar. Despite their early pressure, they were unable to convert chances into goals.
Croatia improved after the break and broke the deadlock in the 54th minute when Ante Budimir finished from close range after a low cross from Josip Stanišić. The goal proved decisive in a tightly contested match with limited clear chances for both sides.
Marco Pašalić had an opportunity to extend Croatia’s lead moments later but was denied by Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera before sending the rebound wide. Panama continued to push for an equaliser but found Livaković in inspired form throughout the second half.
The match also marked a milestone for Croatia captain Luka Modrić, who earned his 200th international cap and extended his record run of appearances at the FIFA World Cup™ to 21 consecutive matches dating back to 2006.
Despite the defeat, Panama coach Thomas Christiansen praised his side’s performance, saying they matched Croatia for long spells and were only undone by a single decisive moment.
