Key events
5 minReferee Pierre Ghislain Atcho – who also worked Iraq-Norway – has already needed his whistle a few times as both teams try to establish a physical presence. Early, of course, but Croatia seem eager to keep most of the ball while Panama is looking to play direct and then advance its lines once the ball is into the opponent’s half.
2 min Croatia creates first with Stanišić running up the right and playing a cross to Modrić, whose header goes well over the bar.
1 min They’re off and trotting in Toronto! A loss would send either team home – great for neutrals, tense for fans of the teams involved. Panama playing left-to-right for those watching at home.
Leander Schaerlaeckens
Ear-splitting cheers from this very pro-Croatia – Proatia? – crowd for Luka Modrić. We all know the end is near and there’s a palpable sense in the air that we might all be seeing him for the last time.
Then again, I had that feeling when I saw him in Qatar. So…
While Modrić is the headline starter as he makes his 200th cap, it’ll be worth seeing if Fidel Escobar checks in for Panama from the bench, with the defender currently sitting on 99 caps to date. For now, each team has its own quartet of centurions…
Panama
Aníbal Godoy (160)
Alberto Quintero (141)
Eric Davis (107)
Yoel Bárcenas (106)
Croatia
Luka Modrić (200)
Ivan Perišić (156)
Andrej Kramarić (117)
Mateo Kovačić (115)
To clarify the stakes for this contest: although a win would not secure a place in the Round of 32, defeat would eliminate either side with a game left to play.
Group L standings
1. England (4 pts, +2 GD)
2. Ghana (4 pts, +1 GD)
3. Panama (0 pts, -1 GD)
4. Croatia (0 pts, -2 GD)
Matt Hughes
When Panama-Croatia was originally assigned to Toronto, it was among the (relatively) more affordable games involving a prominent Uefa team with a Cat-3 entry point of $180 (€158). From there, dynamic pricing did its thing.
Earlier today, Matt Hughes had the exclusive that the US-based staff advised against using the customer-unfriendly pricing model, but were ultimately overruled.
Leander Schaerlaeckens
We also have Leander Schaerlaeckens at the grounds to provide color on Panama-Croatia…
There’s some sappy Croatian power ballad playing and the sea of Croats is going absolutely nuts belting it out. Like, true Eurovision stuff.
We may need hot tea for the hydration break here. It’s positively chilly in the press box.
Lineups: Modrić earns his 200th cap
A historic moment for the sport as Modrić becomes the fourth man to earn 200 international caps. Still no Coco Carrasquilla in the lineup as he returns from a pre-tournament knock, though the Pumas midfielder is on the bench.
Panama (3-4-3)
O. Mosquera
J. Córdoba – C. Blackman – J. Ramos
A. Andrade – C. Harvey – C. Martínez – A. Murillo
J. Rodríguez – J. Fajardo – Y. Bárcenas (c)
Croatia (4-3-3)
D. Livaković
J. Gvardiol – M. Pongračić – J. Šutalo – J. Stanišić
M. Kovačić – M. Baturina – L. Modrić (c)
I. Perišić – P. Musa – M. Pašalić
Coming into the tournament, Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic warned that losing an open match “can destroy everything” for a team in a major tournament. History informed this dramatic stance, with Croatia opening Euro 2024 with a 3-0 defeat to Spain and subsequently bowing out in the group stage.
2018’s run to the World Cup final kicked off with a win over Nigeria; in 2022, a draw against Morocco put both teams on their paths to the semifinal. Just how destroying will that opening 4-2 loss to England prove to be?
If Luka Modrić appears today (and there’s no reason to think he won’t), he’ll become just the fourth man to log 200 international caps. To date, 30 women have played at least 200 international matches.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (230)*
2. Bader Al-Mutawa, Kuwait (202)
3. Lionel Messi, Argentina (201)*
4. Luka Modrić, Croatia (199)*
5. Soh Chin Ann, Malaysia (195)
*Asterisk to denote an active player
Preamble
While Panama and Croatia have never before faced off in a competitive fixture, both men’s national teams have seen their reputations greatly enhanced since the 2018 World Cup. For Panama, it was their first trip to a World Cup after finishing above the United States in Concacaf qualifying, a “happy to be here” debut with three defeats and a -9 goal difference. For Croatia, it was the high point of a golden generation, an inspired run to a first World Cup final and a second-place finish to show for their efforts.
Both teams have remained around their confederations’ contending class. Panama has continued to frustrate the US and Mexico as one of the region’s rising challengers, joining Canada and Costa Rica among the usual suspects. Croatia struggled at Euro 2020 but rebounded to reach another World Cup semifinal in 2022, settling for third place.
This summer, both squads skew towards the veterans. Panama’s youngest member is 24 years old, while veterans Luka Modrić, Ivan Perišić, and Andrej Kramarić fended off more youthful alternatives to add one more tournament to their considerable CVs.
Panama play without fear, no longer among the tournament’s freshest faces, and has the guile and physicality to frustrate any opponent – but conceding at the death against Ghana has put them under pressure to find a path to the knockouts against a pair of Uefa qualifiers. Croatia were unable to keep stride with England and will be hungry to respond to their own opening defeat.
A comfortable 24ºC (75ºF) in Toronto as the evening nears. An important Group L clash awaits!
Jeff will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s our brief of to know about Panama and Croatia before their Group L clash in Toronto.
Panama
La Marea Roja arrive in full voice. After their historic World Cup debut at Russia 2018, they mean business this time round, and want to progress from the group. With Michael Murillo leading from the back, the midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla providing a creative spark and the captain, Aníbal Godoy, still the heart and soul of the team, Panama are ready to write a new chapter.
Panama look improved in possession and arrived in North America full of confidence off the back of reaching the quarter-finals of the 2024 Copa América and the final of the 2023 Gold Cup.
Croatia
Croatia are among the oldest teams at this World Cup, with roughly half or more of their starters into their 30s and the captain, Luka Modric, now 40. That means loads of experience and a winning mentality but also raises some uneasy questions.
Can the old guard of Modric, Kovacic (32), Ivan Perisic (37) and Andrej Kramaric (turning 35) still cut it? Are the younger, lesser-known players ready to step up? Croatia have been used to punching above their weight and their success at the past two World Cups has set the bar impossibly high, but they seem determined to deliver one last hurrah.
