The focus of the match wasn't the score, but rather Modric's achievement: Croatia 1-0 Panama, Modric reaching the milestone of 200 caps for the national team.

The second round of Group L matches in the USA-Canadian Cup took place, with Croatia defeating Panama 1-0 to secure all three points. After two rounds, Croatia sits in third place in the group, leaving the qualification race open until the final round. Panama, on the other hand, has lost both of their matches and remains winless in the World Cup finals.

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In their last match, Panama came very close to earning their first point in the World Cup finals, suffering a last-minute defeat to Ghana in their opening game and suffering their fourth consecutive loss in World Cup history. Their only previous World Cup appearance was in 2018, where they lost to Belgium, England, and Tunisia. They scored two goals that time but failed to win a single match.
“The match against Ghana was Panama’s best performance in World Cup history, but the final result made everything more painful. Panama conceded a goal in the 90th minute, and that worst moment came back. We had 62% possession, but lacked depth,” said Panama coach Thomas Christiansen. “In a tournament like the World Cup, mistakes have a price. We must learn and get back up, just like we do in other competitions. We will also pick ourselves up and compete like we did in the last game.”
Panama's second opponent, Croatia, also failed to win their first match, losing 2-4 to England, who were ranked fourth in the world. Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic emphasized before the game, "We must fix our defensive mistakes. We must be more responsible and focused than in the last game. We encountered many problems, spent a lot of energy trying to score, and ultimately lost the game, so now we must work on our focus and responsibility on the field."

Coach Dalic also emphasized that the threat from Panama cannot be ignored because of their world ranking. "Their opponents are a very good team. They have three very fast players, all three of their forwards are very fast, and obviously we have to contain them. We are the favorites and must act accordingly. We know what this game means for us."
In this match, Panama indeed demonstrated their speed advantage, just as coach Dalic predicted, frequently creating problems for Croatia in the first half through counter-attacks. Looking at the match statistics, Croatia dominated the first half, with 64% possession and a lead in passes (310 to 174). They also had a 9-5 advantage in free kicks.
However, judging from the course of the match, Panama created more threats and came closer to scoring than Croatia. In the 23rd minute, José Luis Rodriguez headed the ball towards goal, and Livakovic made the save, hitting the crossbar. Although the referee indicated that Panama was offside, it was the most dangerous shot of the first half. Near the halftime whistle, Croatia created space through passing, and Batulina unleashed a low shot, which Panama goalkeeper Mosquera parried out for a corner. The first half ended goalless. According to statistics, both teams had an expected goals (ECG) of 0.11, a figure only higher than the 0.06 ECG against Costa Rica in 2022.

After the break, Croatia continued to control the game through possession. In the 54th minute, Stanišić assisted Budimir to score, finally breaking the deadlock and taking the lead. Panama then intensified their counter-attacking efforts, but failed to break the deadlock, instead giving Croatia more opportunities to create threats.
It's worth mentioning that Luka Modric, who started this match, was making his 200th appearance for the Croatian national team. In his previous 199 matches, he contributed 29 goals and 31 assists, making him the team's tactical core and spiritual leader.

The final whistle blew, and Croatia narrowly won their group stage match, securing three points and moving into third place in the group. Previously, England and Ghana finished with a goalless draw, each earning one point, and both are tied for first and second place in the group with four points after two rounds. Based on the current situation, their final match against Ghana will determine whether the "Checkered Ones" can advance to the knockout stage as one of the top two teams in the group. Panama, who lost this match, will face the strongest team in the group, England, in the final round. Already out of contention for qualification, they can only fight for pride and strive to earn their first-ever point in World Cup history.

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