CroatiavsPanama
CRO 1/PAN 0
Things to say
Croatia beat Panama 1-0 at BMO Field to take three points and move to 1-0-1 in the group.
01
opener
Croatia nicked it one-nil, classic World Cup grind. Panama actually had a go, but Croatia just managed the game and saw it out. Clean sheet, job done.
02
key player
Modric is forty and still running the show, 69 accurate passes, every Croatia move went through him. The man does not age.
03
hot take
Honestly Panama deserved better than nil. They pressed, they competed, they just couldn't find the net. One-nil flatters Croatia a touch.
04
deep cut
José Córdoba put in fourteen defensive interventions for Panama, an absolute wall at the back. Shame his attack couldn't reward him.
05
exit
Croatia control their own fate now in the group, but they'll need more than a one-nil to go deep. We'll see what they've got next match.
The recap
Croatia ground out a 1-0 win over Panama at BMO Field, and it was about as tight as a one-goal World Cup match gets. Panama actually had their moments, with Amir Murillo throwing shots at it and José Córdoba a wall at the back with 14 defensive interventions, but they couldn't find the net.
Modric pulled the strings as usual, knocking around a game-high 69 accurate passes, and Croatia did just enough to nick it and bank a clean sheet. Not a classic, but a result that does the job and keeps Croatia top of their group form.