Croatia grind out 1–0 win over Panama in narrow contest
Full-time – Panama 0-1 Croatia
Croatia kept their FIFA World Cup 2026 hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto, while the defeat confirms Panama’s elimination from the tournament.
Panama produced an energetic and disciplined display, creating several promising openings and testing Croatia throughout the contest. José Luis Rodríguez struck the post in the first half, while Amir Murillo and company continued to push relentlessly after the break. However, Croatia’s experience proved decisive.
Half-time substitute Ante Budimir scored the only goal of the match in the 54th minute, and Dominik Livaković made key saves to preserve the lead as Panama chased a late equaliser.
The victory leaves Croatia well placed in the race for the Round of 32, while Panama’s World Cup journey comes to an end despite a spirited performance.
