Croatia earn narrow win to knock out Panama

Croatia secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Panama on November 27, 2022, earning their first points in Group L of the World Cup and keeping their hopes alive for a last-32 spot. This defeat officially eliminated Panama from the tournament, marking their exit after failing to secure any points in their group stage matches. The lone goal of the match was scored by Croatia's Ivan Perišić in the 71st minute, a crucial strike that ultimately decided the outcome. The match statistics revealed Croatia's dominance in possession, holding the ball for 65% of the game, and outshooting Panama 14 times to their 7. Despite the loss, Panama's goalkeeper, Jaime Penedo, made several key saves throughout the game, preventing a larger margin of defeat. Croatia's win, though slim, places them third in Group L, with their final group stage match against Mexico determining their progression.