Croatia beats Panama 1-0, Group L fate set for final round
Ante Budimir’s goal eliminated Panama, while Croatia must take points against Ghana to advance.
Croatia earned its first win at the 2026 World Cup by beating Panama 1-0 in the second Group L match in Toronto, Canada, on Wednesday. Ante Budimir scored the only goal in the 54th minute after a quick halftime change by coach Zlatko Dalic. The victory lifted Croatia to three points and kept its hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive, while Panama was eliminated.
Panama had threatened first through Jose Fajardo, Michael Murillo and Carlos Harvey, but Dominik Livakovic repeatedly denied the chances. Croatia became more dangerous after the break. A pass from Josip Stanisic set up Budimir’s finish in front of Orlando Mosquera. Luka Modric, making his 200th appearance for Croatia, also helped drive the pressure before being substituted near the end. In the group finale, Croatia will face Ghana, while Panama meets England.