TORONTO : Ante Budimir’s second-half goal earned Croatia a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in Group L on Tuesday, keeping the Balkan side’s World Cup hopes alive while eliminating the Central Americans from the tournament.
Both teams entered the match seeking their first points of the competition, knowing defeat would end their chances of reaching the knockout stage after England and Ghana played out a goalless draw earlier in the day.
On a windy evening by Lake Ontario, Toronto Stadium was awash in red, white and blue, the colours shared by both nations’ flags. Croatia’s supporters created a vibrant atmosphere before kickoff, singing the patriotic anthem “Moja domovina” as their team looked to bounce back from a disappointing start to the tournament.
Croatia dominated possession but struggled to break down Panama’s disciplined defence until the 63rd minute. Marco Pasalic produced a clever backheel to release Josip Stanisic down the right, and the defender delivered a precise cross that Budimir steered into the net to spark wild celebrations among the Croatian fans behind the goal.
The Europeans nearly doubled their advantage shortly afterwards when Pasalic raced through on goal, but Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera made a crucial save before the midfielder blasted the rebound over the bar.
Panama threatened throughout an evenly contested first half, using their pace on the flanks to trouble Croatia. Jose Luis Rodriguez and Amir Murillo repeatedly delivered dangerous crosses into the penalty area, but the final touch proved elusive.
The victory was especially memorable for Croatia captain Luka Modric, who made his 200th international appearance. The 40-year-old midfielder was tossed into the air by teammates after the final whistle as they celebrated both the win and his milestone.
Croatia’s first victory of the tournament leaves them with a chance of reaching the knockout rounds heading into their final group match against Ghana, who are level on four points with group leaders England.
Panama, meanwhile, remain without a point and have been eliminated from the competition. They will conclude their campaign against England while still searching for their first-ever World Cup victory.
