Croatia Edge Past Panama 1-0 in Group L Clash
Croatia secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Panama in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match at Toronto Stadium on Tuesday. The win, courtesy of a goal from Ante Budimir, kept Croatia's campaign on track after an opening 4-2 defeat to England. However, head coach Zlatko Dalic was far from satisfied with his team's overall performance.
Dalic Critical of First-Half Display
Speaking after the match, as quoted by Reuters, Dalic said, "I am not the happiest with the play, especially in the first half." He elaborated that Panama put Croatia under immense pressure, stating, "They were really under a lot of pressure and each and every ball was in the possession of the opponent and many other balls as well that really destroyed us." Dalic admitted he reacted with anger to his team's slow start.
Pressure After England Defeat
Following a loss to England in the opener, Croatia knew that another defeat would severely dent their chances of advancing to the round of 32. The 2018 finalists and 2022 third-place finishers struggled against a physical Panama side before showing their experience in the second half. "I did not expect that it was going to be such a difficult match, to be quite honest," Dalic added. "We did not react the best, and perhaps it could be due to the pressure, because we really needed to get these three points to move on to the second stage."
Focus on Upcoming Ghana Clash
Dalic warned that improvement is needed across all fronts, particularly defense, ahead of their final group stage match against Ghana in Philadelphia. A win would secure Croatia's place in the round of 32. "I am not the happiest to be with the play, to be honest, especially in the first half," he reiterated. "But I will forget this, and now focus on what awaits us."
