Croatia kept its 2026 World Cup hopes alive overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday with a 1-0 win over Panama in Toronto, earning its first points in Group 12. Ante Budimir scored the only goal in the 54th minute, finishing from close range after coming on at halftime to meet a cross from Josip Stanisic.
The result came after Croatia opened the tournament with a disappointing 4-2 loss to England, but it leaves Zlatko Dalic’s side well placed before a decisive match against Ghana on Saturday. A victory there would secure Croatia’s place in the knockout round. Panama, meanwhile, suffered its second straight defeat and was eliminated from the tournament.
The night also belonged to Luka Modric, who made his 200th appearance for Croatia and became only the fourth man in international men’s football to reach that milestone, joining Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa. The 40-year-old captain was hoisted by teammates at the end and received a special tribute from both the team and the crowd.
Panama pressed for an equalizer in the second half, but goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic made several key saves to preserve the lead. Croatia will now face Ghana on June 28 in Philadelphia, while Panama ends group play against England in New Jersey, in a match with no tournament stakes for Panama.
