Croatia beat Panama to keep hopes alive

Croatia secured a vital 1-0 victory against Panama in their World Cup clash on Tuesday, clinching their first points of the tournament and consequently eliminating the Central American nation. The high-stakes Group L match saw Croatia break the deadlock in the second half.

Substitute Ante Budimir scored the game's only goal in the 54th minute, converting a deep cross at the back post. This strike proved decisive after a first half where Croatia found it difficult to impose their dominance on the game.

Moments after taking the lead, Croatia came close to doubling their advantage. Marco Pašalić found himself through on goal but could not beat the Panama keeper. He then missed the rebound, skying the shot over the bar.

The result meant that following a 0-0 draw between England and Ghana earlier in the day, the loser of the Croatia-Panama match would have no hope of progressing to the knockout rounds. In a significant personal milestone, Croatia's captain Luka Modrić earned his 200th international cap, becoming the second European player to reach this landmark.