Budimir gives Croatia a 1-0 win to eliminate Panama from the World Cup

Croatia secured a 1-0 victory against Panama on November 27, 2022, effectively eliminating Panama from the FIFA World Cup. The decisive goal was scored by forward forward Ivan Perišić in the 63rd minute, marking his 33rd goal for the Croatian national team. This win placed Croatia third in Group L with four points, trailing England and Ghana who also have four points each, heading into the final group stage matches. The match statistics indicated Croatia dominated possession with 65% of the ball and registered 15 shots compared to Panama's 7. Panama's elimination marks their second consecutive group stage exit in their World Cup history, having debuted in the 2018 tournament. The result also confirmed England's advancement to the knockout stages.