The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already delivered chaos, late goals, and drama, and teams are scrambling to stake their claim in the knockout rounds ahead of Matchday 3. Panama and Croatia will meet on Tuesday at BMO Field in Toronto in a Group L clash after both sides lost their opening-day matches.
Panama are hopeful they can bounce back from a momentum breaker in their World Cup opener, after they lost in late stoppage time on a tap-in goal by Ghana's Caleb Yirenkyi. The 1-0 defeat denied Los Canaleros a first-ever World Cup point and are now on a four-game losing streak, dating back to the 2022 World Cup. The squad is back to square one with key starter Adalberto Carrasquilla unavailable with a groin injury. He sustained a setback after the opening game against Ghana.
The alarm bells are ringing for Croatia, the 2018 World Cup runners-up, especially after 41-year-old Luca Modric's subpar performance in match one against England, where he conceded a penalty in the opening minutes of the game. Despite the low moments, Croatia are considered heavy favorites in this one after a 4-2 loss against England last week. If they want to ensure their golden generation can outrun the twilight of their careers and prove they aren't a defensive liability in the back, then Matchday 2 against Panama is a must-win.
How to watch Croatia vs. Panama
Date: Tuesday, June 23 | Time: 7 p.m. ET Location: BMO Field - Toronto, Ontario TV: FS1 (Eng), Universo (Spa) | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free) Odds: Panama +600 | Draw +320 | Croatia -210
Croatia vs. Panama predicted starting lineups
Croatia: Dominik Livakovic; Josip Stanisic, Josip Sutalo, Duje Caleta-Car, Josko Gvardiol; Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric, Petar Sucic; Martin Baturina, Petar Musa, Ivan Perisic
Panama: Orlando Mosquera; Cesar Blackman, Jose Cordoba, Jiovany Ramos; Michael Amir Murillo, Carlos Harvey, Cristian Martinez, Andres Andrade; Yoel Barcenas, Cecilio Waterman, Jose Luis Rodriguez
Keep up with the World Cup standings here!
Croatia vs. Panama pick, prediction
The individual quality on Croatia's roster could be enough to grind out a result, but it won't be easy with the high-stakes involved. Panama's compact organization could make things difficult, or mean goals come early, and then later in the game. Pick: Panama 1, Croatia 2
Check out our World Cup expert predictions.
Golazo 48 Nations: Follow the World Cup all summer long
Golazo 48 Nations is your all-access destination for the World Cup, with wall-to-wall coverage across the CBS Sports Golazo Network. From the first whistle to the final recap, the entire Golazo crew will guide fans through every moment of the tournament.
Each day begins with Morning Footy, setting the stage with the latest news, storylines, and previews ahead of kickoff. From there, Golazo Matchday and Golazo Matchnight deliver reaction and analysis as the action unfolds. Fans can also tune in for coverage of USMNT matches with the Call It What You Want team, as well as reaction to other marquee matchups. The day wraps with Scoreline, a comprehensive nightly recap of every result, moment, and storyline from across the tournament. Altogether, the Golazo Network will deliver up to 12 hours of programming each matchday, available across the Golazo Network and its YouTube channel.
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