On June 24, Croatia defeated Panama 1-0 in their second match of Group L at Toronto Stadium in Canada.
After losing 4-2 to England in their opening match, Croatia improved to 1 win and 1 loss (3 points), moving up to third place in the group.
Croatia will face Ghana in their final group match on June 28, which will determine their advancement to the knockout stage.
In contrast, Panama, which lost 1-0 to Ghana in their first match, was eliminated from the group stage after their defeat to Croatia, finishing at the bottom of the group with two losses. Even if they win their final match against England, they cannot surpass Ghana in second place or Croatia in third due to the head-to-head rule.
Croatia struggled to break through Panama's packed defense in the first half, failing to record a single shot on target.
Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic made a tactical change at the start of the second half, bringing in forwards Ante Budimir and Andrej Kramaric to boost the attack.
The substitution paid off in the 54th minute. Josip Stanisic delivered a precise cross from the right side of the penalty area, and Budimir, making a run, scored with a left-footed shot just nine minutes after coming on.
Following the goal, Croatia's goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic made several crucial saves to keep Panama at bay.
Thanks to Livakovic's outstanding performance, Croatia held on to their lead and secured a valuable three points.
Meanwhile, Croatia's veteran midfielder Luka Modric marked his 200th international match during this game. After the match, he celebrated the milestone with his teammates.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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