TORONTO.- Croatia survived, corrected a lackluster first half at half-time and defeated Panama 0-1 this Tuesday at the Toronto Stadium with a goal from Ante Budimir, essential to reactivate its options in Group L and lethal for Panama, which by collecting two defeats, was eliminated.
Zlatko Dalic’s team, hit by the 4-2 loss against England on the first day, found relief in a simple and definitive action: opening by Josip Stanisic on the right, a cross into the small area and a shot by Budimir, who had just entered at half-time for Petar Musa.
The night had another inevitable focus: Luka Modric. The Croatian captain reached 200 international matches and joined the small male club of footballers who have reached that figure, along with Cristiano Ronaldo, Bader Al-Mutawa and Lionel Messi. But the anniversary did not hide Croatia’s problems for many minutes, uncomfortable with Panama’s orderly withdrawal and Amir Murillo’s runs on the right.
Panama, which needed to score after losing to Ghana, and with England still ahead, understood the game better during the first half hour. Christiansen arranged a line of five defenders, four midfielders close together and José Fajardo as a reference. The plan closed the interior corridors to Modric, Kovacic and Baturina, and pushed Croatia into a predictable, too lateral circulation.
The best Panamanian chance came in the 23rd minute. Murillo once again gained the upper hand on the right wing, crossed into the area and José Luis Rodríguez connected with a header that Livakovic deflected just enough to send it to the crossbar. It was the moment that could change the game and confirmed the damage that Panama was doing on Gvardiol’s side.
Croatia barely responded before the break with a long shot from Baturina in added time, well resolved by Orlando Mosquera. The first half ended with more of a feeling of Panamanian control than of Croatian superiority, although the score remained intact.
Dalic acted at half-time. He removed Musa and Gvardiol, brought on Budimir and Kramaric, and the change took immediate effect. Croatia charged the area more, found more presence between center backs and in the 54th minute they resolved the match. Stanisic appeared freely on the right and Budimir, alone in the small area, made it 0-1.
Panama accused the coup. He lost confidence at the start, conceded transitions and Mosquera had to intervene against Marco Pasalic in a clear action shortly after. Christiansen moved the bench with Waterman, Azarias Londoño, Eric Davis and Tomás Rodríguez, but the Central American team mixed drive with haste.
Still, Panama did not surrender. Murillo, the best of his team, tested Livakovic again in the 67th minute, first with a shot from the edge of the area and then in a subsequent set-piece action that forced the Croatian goalkeeper into another intervention. Carlos Harvey also had a clear arrival, but he finished high and wide.
Croatia closed the match with skill, now without Modric, replaced by Mario Pasalic in the final stretch. Petar Sucic saw yellow in added time for a foul that cut off a Panamanian progression near the area. Panama’s last free kick went over the crossbar and with it a good part of their options escaped.
The goalless draw between England and Ghana, played earlier, had increased the pressure on both. Croatia now has three points, still behind the English and Ghanaians, both with four. Panama still has no points, punished by its lack of definition in a match in which it had enough phases, order and chances to deserve something more.
