Croatia vs Panama: Modric starts, Croatia must win.

Croatia faced Panama in a crucial match in Group L of the 2026 World Cup. With Modric starting, the Croatian team was expected to control the game and win to keep their hopes of advancing alive.

Starting lineup

Panama 3-4-3: Mosquera; Blackman, Ramos, Cordoba; Murillo, Harvey, Martínez, Andrade; Bárcenas, Fajardo, Rodriguez.

Croatia 4-2-3-1: Livaković; Stanišić, Šutalo, Pongračić, Gvardiol; Modrić, Kovačić; Pašalić, Baturina, Perišić; Musa.

Croatia vs Panama Prediction

Croatia entered the match against Panama with little room for error after their 2-4 defeat to England in the opening match. Coach Zlatko Dalić adjusted the system to a 4-2-3-1, focusing on Modrić and Kovačić's midfield control and Baturina's mobility in the attacking midfield role.

Notably, Kramarić did not start, while Petar Musa continued to be trusted in the center forward position. This suggests that Croatia wanted a strong attacking threat in the penalty area, while also exploiting crosses from the flanks by Perišić and Pašalić.

Panama opted for a 3-4-3 formation, prioritizing a solid defensive block and the ability to transition through Murillo, Andrade, and Bárcenas. However, Carrasquilla's absence from the starting lineup meant Panama's midfield lacked a player capable of controlling the tempo and creating breakthroughs. Against the experienced Croatian team, Panama will likely have to sit deep and wait for opportunities to counter-attack.

With Modrić starting in this significant milestone, Croatia had a greater advantage in ball control, attacking organization, and match experience. The challenge for the Croatian team was to correct their set-piece defensive errors and prevent Panama from dragging the game into a stalemate.

Predicting the score for Croatia vs Panama

Croatia beat Panama 2-0.

Time, location, and live broadcast channel for Croatia vs Panama

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The match will take place at 6:00 AM on June 24, 2026, Vietnam time, at Toronto Stadium/BMO Field, Toronto, Canada.

The match will be broadcast live on VTV3, and is expected to be broadcast on VTV6; fans can also watch it via VTVgo, TV360, andFPT Play depending on the broadcasting platform.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/croatia-vs-panama-modric-da-chinh-croatia-buoc-phai-thang-post902339.html