Croatia earned a narrow 1-0 victory over Panama on Tuesday, securing their first win of the 2026 World Cup.
In a tightly contested match between two sides searching for their first points in Group L, both teams struggled to break the deadlock in a goalless first half in Toronto.
Croatia eventually found the breakthrough in the 54th minute when Ante Budimir finished from close range after a cross from Josip Stanisic.
The result marks an important response for Croatia after their opening 4-2 defeat to England, while Panama suffer a second straight narrow loss following a 1-0 defeat to Ghana.
The defeat leaves Panama eliminated from knockout-stage contention, making it the fifth team to exit the competition at this stage.
