55 minutes ago
Key events
Leander Schaerlaeckens
We besides person Leander Schaerlaeckens astatine nan grounds to supply colour connected Panama-Croatia…
There’s immoderate sappy Croatian powerfulness ballad playing and nan oversea of Croats is going perfectly nuts belting it out. Like, existent Eurovision stuff.
We whitethorn request basking beverage for nan hydration break here. It’s positively chilly successful nan property box.
Lineups: Modrić earns his 200th cap
A historical infinitesimal for nan athletics arsenic Modrić becomes nan 4th man to gain 200 world caps. Still nary Coco Carrasquilla successful nan lineup arsenic he returns from a pre-tournament knock, though nan Pumas midfielder is connected nan bench.
Panama (3-4-3)
O. Mosquera
J. Córdoba – C. Blackman – J. Ramos
A. Andrade – C. Harvey – C. Martínez – A. Murillo
J. Rodríguez – J. Fajardo – Y. Bárcenas (c)
Croatia (4-3-3)
D. Livaković
J. Gvardiol – M. Pongračić – J. Šutalo – J. Stanišić
M. Kovačić – M. Baturina – L. Modrić (c)
I. Perišić – P. Musa – M. Pašalić
Coming into nan tournament, Croatia caput coach Zlatko Dalic warned that losing an unfastened lucifer “can destruct everything” for a squad successful a awesome tournament. History informed this melodramatic stance, pinch Croatia opening Euro 2024 pinch a 3-0 conclusion to Spain and subsequently bowing retired successful nan group stage.
2018’s tally to nan World Cup last kicked disconnected pinch a triumph complete Nigeria; successful 2022, a tie against Morocco put some teams connected their paths to nan semifinal. Just really destroying will that opening 4-2 nonaccomplishment to England beryllium to be?
If Luka Modrić appears coming (and there’s nary logic to deliberation he won’t), he’ll go conscionable nan 4th man to log 200 world caps. To date, 30 women person played astatine slightest 200 world matches.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (230)*
2. Bader Al-Mutawa, Kuwait (202)
3. Lionel Messi, Argentina (201)*
4. Luka Modrić, Croatia (199)*
5. Soh Chin Ann, Malaysia (195)
*Asterisk to denote an progressive player
Preamble
While Panama and Croatia person ne'er earlier faced disconnected successful a competitory fixture, some men’s nationalist teams person seen their reputations greatly enhanced since nan 2018 World Cup. For Panama, it was their first travel to a World Cup aft finishing supra nan United States successful Concacaf qualifying, a “happy to beryllium here” debut pinch 3 defeats and a -9 extremity difference. For Croatia, it was nan precocious constituent of a aureate generation, an inspired tally to a first World Cup last and a second-place decorativeness to show for their efforts.
Both teams person remained astir their confederations’ contending class. Panama has continued to frustrate nan US and Mexico arsenic 1 of nan region’s rising challengers, joining Canada and Costa Rica among nan accustomed suspects. Croatia struggled astatine Euro 2020 but rebounded to scope different World Cup semifinal successful 2022, settling for 3rd place.
This summer, some squads skew towards nan veterans. Panama’s youngest personnel is 24 years old, while veterans Luka Modrić, Ivan Perišić, and Andrej Kramarić fended disconnected much youthful alternatives to adhd 1 much tourney to their sizeable CVs.
Panama play without fear, nary longer among nan tournament’s freshest faces, and has nan guile and physicality to frustrate immoderate force – but conceding astatine nan decease against Ghana has put them nether unit to find a way to nan knockouts against a brace of Uefa qualifiers. Croatia were incapable to support stride pinch England and will beryllium quiet to respond to their ain opening defeat.
A comfortable 24ºC (75ºF) successful Toronto arsenic nan evening nears. An important Group L conflict awaits!
Jeff will beryllium present shortly. In nan meantime, here’s our little of to cognize astir Panama and Croatia earlier their Group L conflict successful Toronto.
Panama
La Marea Roja get successful afloat voice. After their historical World Cup debut astatine Russia 2018, they mean business this clip round, and want to advancement from nan group. With Michael Murillo starring from nan back, nan midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla providing a imaginative spark and nan captain, Aníbal Godoy, still nan bosom and psyche of nan team, Panama are fresh to constitute a caller chapter.
Panama look improved successful possession and arrived successful North America afloat of assurance disconnected nan backmost of reaching nan quarter-finals of nan 2024 Copa América and nan last of nan 2023 Gold Cup.
Croatia
Croatia are among nan oldest teams astatine this World Cup, pinch astir half aliases much of their starters into their 30s and nan captain, Luka Modric, now 40. That intends loads of acquisition and a winning mentality but besides raises immoderate uneasy questions.
Can nan aged defender of Modric, Kovacic (32), Ivan Perisic (37) and Andrej Kramaric (turning 35) still trim it? Are nan younger, lesser-known players fresh to measurement up? Croatia person been utilized to punching supra their weight and their occurrence astatine nan past 2 World Cups has group nan barroom impossibly high, but they look wished to present 1 past hurrah.
