Panama and Croatia are each trying to preserve their World Cup hopes when they meet for the very first time in Toronto on Tuesday.
Both nations suffered defeats in their opening Group L fixtures, with Croatia succumbing to a familiar foe. England, who ranked among the pre-tournament favorites to win a second World Cup, eventually proved too much for Zlatko Dalić’s side, who twice pegged the Three Lions back in the first half.
A completely different challenge beckons for the back-to-back semifinalists this time around, although Panama proved against Ghana that it’s capable of asserting itself on the global stage via astute pressing and cultured possession play.
A 1–0 defeat to the Black Stars was labelled “cruel” by manager Thomas Christiansen, who oversaw an impressive qualifying campaign to get Panama to its second World Cup.
FIFA’s 34th-ranked outfit will be big outsiders at BMO Field on Tuesday, with a first point at this tournament still eluding them.
Panama vs. Croatia Score Prediction
Croats Bounce Back
Croatia is used to punching above its weight, with victories over Argentina in 2018 and Brazil in 2022 helping to facilitate unexpectedly deep World Cup campaigns. There‘s a sense that this iteration won’t be able to match its achievements of the previous two tournaments, with recent defeats to England, Brazil and Belgium suggesting that there‘s a limit to what can be achieved this summer.
Still, Dalić’s experienced unit showed against the Three Lions that it can be a threat in North America. However, victory is imperative on Tuesday against a Panama side that’s evolved drastically from 2018 but threatens to remain without a World Cup point after missing out against Ghana.
The Central Americans could turn a few heads in Toronto, but don’t be shocked if Croatia’s savvy wins out.
- Panama’s World Cup record : Panama is certainly vastly improved from eight years ago, when it made its World Cup bow, but it’s yet to get over the hump. In four games, Panama has scored just twice without picking up a single point.
- Croatia’s bouncebackability : Croatia is a slow starter at major tournaments, losing its opening match at four of the previous six World Cups. However, only once before has Croatia lost back-to-back World Cup games (2002 vs. Ecuador and Brazil).
Prediction: Panama 1–2 Croatia
Panama Predicted Lineup vs. Croatia
Ghana’s 95th-minute winner was a gut-punch for Panama manager Christiansen, who was on the cusp of delivering the nation’s first-ever World Cup point.
The positive performance means there’s no reason for the former Barcelona striker to panic and wildly change his starting lineup in Toronto. However, wingback César Blackman and midfielder Carlos Harvey are walking tightropes after the pair picked up bookings last time out.
The back three that helped Panama control the contest against Ghana, all while taming the Black Stars’ dangerous forwards, will almost certainly remain the same, but Christiansen must be tempted to welcome Ismael Díaz to the team. Díaz was the leading scorer at last year’s Gold Cup.
The one injury concern Panama has is Adalberto Carrasquilla, who missed the Ghana defeat with a groin issue. Carrasquilla has been sidelined for almost a month and returned to partial training ahead of the clash with Croatia.
Panama predicted lineup vs. Croatia (3-4-3): Mosquera; Blackman, Ramos, Córdoba; Murillo, Harvey, Martínez, Andrade; Bárcenas, Waterman, Rodríguez.
Croatia Predicted Lineup vs. Panama
Dalić could revert to a 4-3-3 in a bid to outmaneuver Croatia’s upcoming opponents, with Mateo Kovačić potentially being introduced to the midfield.
Luka Modrić failed to last an hour against England after giving away a penalty in the first half, but the veteran won’t lose his place in Dalić’s XI on Tuesday.
Martin Baturina scored a fine goal last time out and could keep his place in Croatia’s frontline. A creative midfielder by trade, Baturina may line up as an inside forward here.
Dalić has a dilemma at the center forward position, with Peter Musa the surprise option selected against England. Croatia has Andrej Kramarić and Ante Budimir to call upon in reserve, and there could be a change up top despite Musa scoring on his World Cup bow.
Pick Your World Cup XI!
What Time Does Panama vs. Croatia Kick Off?
- Location : Toronto, Canada
- Stadium : BMO Field
- Date : Tuesday, June 23 / Wednesday, June 24
- Kick-off Time : 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT / 12 a.m. BST (June 24)
- Referee : Pierre Ghislain Atcho (GAB)
How to Watch Panama vs. Croatia on TV, Live Stream
| Country | Broadcaster(s) |
|---|---|
| United States | FOX Network, fuboTV, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, FOX One |
| Canada | TSN+, TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, RDS, CTV Two, RDS App, CTV App, Crave |
| Mexico | ViX Mexico |
| United Kingdom | BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
