4 min read
Ante Budimir’s second-half strike proved decisive as Croatia eliminated Panama, while Luka Modrić celebrated his 200th international appearance in Toronto
Croatia kept their World Cup knockout hopes alive on Tuesday, defeating Panama 1-0 at BMO Field in Toronto to eliminate the Central American side and set up a final matchday decider against Ghana.
The match remained scoreless until the 54th minute when halftime substitute Ante Budimir tucked the ball into the back post after connecting cleanly with a beautifully placed low cross from right-back Josip Stanišić. The goal came just nine minutes after Budimir entered the pitch.
Key Takeaways
- The goal came just nine minutes after Budimir entered the pitch.
- Panama nearly opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković produced a world-class reflex save to tip José Luis Rodríguez's powerful header onto the woodwork.
- The match also marked a historic milestone for Croatia captain Luka Modrić, who earned his 200th international cap.
Panama nearly opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković produced a world-class reflex save to tip José Luis Rodríguez’s powerful header onto the woodwork. Panama outshot Croatia eight to six and had three shots on target to Croatia’s three.
The match was defined by Livaković’s heroics. In the 67th minute, Panama unleashed a furious sequence of attacking pressure, forcing a magnificent triple-save from the Croatian keeper, who tipped the final shot safely over the crossbar to preserve the clean sheet.
The match also marked a historic milestone for Croatia captain Luka Modrić, who earned his 200th international cap. His teammates celebrated by wearing custom commemorative jerseys post-game.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, Panama exits their second World Cup appearance without a single point. Croatia now sit on three points, one behind England and Ghana, who are tied at the top with four points each. Croatia will qualify for the Round of 32 if they can manage at least a draw against Ghana on the final matchday. Ghana, meanwhile, need only a draw to confirm their place in the knockout stage.
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BEFORE Kickoff
Milestone Cap: Croatian legend Luka Modrić makes football history today by earning his 200th international cap.
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- Injury Update: Panama’s star midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla is fit enough for the bench but misses out on the starting XI due to a lingering groin injury.
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- Goalkeeper: Orlando Mosquera
- Defenders: César Blackman, Jiovany Ramos, José Córdoba
- Midfielders: Amir Murillo, Carlos Harvey, Cristian Martínez, Andrés Andrade
- Forwards: Yoel Bárcenas, José Fajardo, José Luis Rodríguez
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- Goalkeeper: Dominik Livaković
- Defenders: Josip Stanišić, Marin Pongračić, Josip Šutalo, Joško Gvardiol
- Midfielders: Mateo Kovačić, Luka Modrić
- Attacking Midfielders/Wingers: Marco Pašalić, Martin Baturina, Ivan Perišić
- Forward: Petar Musa
📊 Pre-Match Form & Statistics
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- Tournament Pedigree: Croatia has vast tournament experience as the 2018 runners-up and 2022 third-place finishers. Panama is making just their second-ever World Cup appearance and has never kept a clean sheet in the tournament.
- Historical H2H: This marks the first-ever competitive football meeting between Panama and Croatia.
- Disciplinary Warnings: Panama midfielders Carlos Harvey and César Blackman both carry yellow card pressure into this game.
📰 Key Pre-Match Insights
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- The Standings Pressure: Following a 0–0 draw between England and Ghana earlier today, the pressure has intensified. A loss for either Panama or Croatia tonight will all but seal tournament elimination.
- Crowd Atmosphere: Local reporting from Toronto indicates a heavily pro-Croatian crowd, with fans sporting traditional checkered patterns creating a vibrant, high-energy environment outside BMO Field.
💰 Betting Odds & Market Picks
| Market | 🇵🇦 Panama | 🤝 Draw | 🇭🇷 Croatia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moneyline (90 Mins) | +600 | +350 | -210 |
| Spread | +1.5 (-130) | — | -1.5 (+100) |
| Over/Under 2.5 Goals | Over (-125) | — | Under (+100) |
Expert Recommendation: Analysts lean heavily towards a Croatia Win due to their world-class midfield control with Modrić and Kovačić. With Croatia showing defensive vulnerabilities against England, a popular value play is Croatia to Win and Both Teams to Score (BTTS)
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on June 24, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
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