Croatia Secure 1-0 Victory Over Panama to Eliminate Them From World Cup

Croatia hold third place in Group L, trailing England and Ghana on four points each as they head into the final day of matches.

The match at Toronto Stadium saw Croatia win 1‑0, courtesy of a half‑time substitute Ante Budimir’s goal in the 54th minute, which eliminated Panama from the World Cup.

Budimir, 34, netted his first World Cup goal and the fifth competitive international goal of his career for Croatia.

With three points, Croatia remain third in the group. A win over Ghana in Philadelphia on Saturday would secure a top‑two finish.

Panama, still eyeing their first World Cup point after five matches, lost 1‑0 to Ghana in their opening 2026 fixture in Toronto last week.

Despite missing star forward Adalberto Carrasquilla due to injury, Panama’s goal difference sits six points better than at this stage, an improvement since their 2018 debut.

Josip Stanisic provided the opening assist, delivering a precise cross that Budimir converted from the right‑hand side after a composed finish.

The goal sparked a brief period of excitement, but the match settled into a calmer rhythm afterward.

Following the goal, Croatia captain Luka Modrić attempted a solo break from his own half, but Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera timed a clear‑bodied second‑world to counter the attempt, forcing a rebound that went wide.

Panama forced Dominik Livaković into three quick stops in the second half, with Livaković successfully denying Carlos Harvey’s header from a corner and preventing a potential equaliser.

Panama will now aim to produce a surprise result against England in their final fixture in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Earlier on Tuesday, England and Ghana settled for a 0‑0 draw, leaving both teams level on four points.

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