Croatia edge Panama to keep World Cup hopes alive
Key takeaways
- Issued on: 24/06/2026 - 03:00Modified: 24/06/2026 - 03:04
- By: FRANCE 24 Panama's Jose Cordoba (3) and Croatia's Marco Pasalic (24) vie for the ball during the World Cup Group L soccer match between Panama and Croatia in Toronto on June 23, 2026.
- On a night when Croatia captain Luka Modric became the second European to earn a 200th cap, the Balkan side broke the deadlock when Budimir, alone at the back post, converted a deep cross in the 54th minute.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Croatia secured their first points of the World Cup on Tuesday with a narrow 1-0 win over Panama, courtesy of a second-half strike from substitute Ante Budimir, a result that eliminated the Central American side from Group L contention.
Issued on: 24/06/2026 - 03:00Modified: 24/06/2026 - 03:04
By: FRANCE 24 Panama's Jose Cordoba (3) and Croatia's Marco Pasalic (24) vie for the ball during the World Cup Group L soccer match between Panama and Croatia in Toronto on June 23, 2026. © Stephanie Scarbrough, AP Croatia netted a second-half goal from substitute Ante Budimir to beat Panama 1-0 for their first points of the World Cup in a high-stakes Group L clash on Tuesday that eliminated the Central American side.