Sports Desk: Croatia boosted their chances of reaching the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in a Group L clash on Monday, while the defeat ended Panama’s hopes of advancing in the tournament. The decisive moment came in the second half when veteran striker Ante Budimir found the back of the net, giving Croatia a crucial lead. Despite Panama’s determined efforts to find an equaliser, the Croatian defence held firm to secure all three points.
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The win handed Croatia their first victory of the campaign after suffering a defeat to England in their opening match. With three points from two games, Croatia remain in contention for a place in the Round of 32 and will now look to secure qualification in their final group fixture against Ghana. For Panama, the loss marked a disappointing end to their World Cup journey. Having also lost their opening match against Ghana, the Central American side remains without a point and can no longer progress to the knockout rounds.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić praised his players for their resilience and discipline, while Budimir’s match-winning strike underlined the importance of experience on football’s biggest stage. Group L remains finely poised, with England leading the standings and both Croatia and Ghana still battling for qualification. Croatia’s final match against Ghana is expected to play a decisive role in determining the group’s second qualifier for the knockout phase.
