Before kick-off: define the sample first
| Outcome | matches | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Panama wins | 0 | — |
| Draws | 0 | — |
| Croatia wins | 0 | — |
FactUsing the explicit scope of completed 2026 World Cup matches before kick-off, the teams had met 0 times: 0 Panama wins, 0 draws and 0 Croatia wins. This is not presented as an all-time record.
FactThe comparison direction on this page is fixed: Panama is the recorded home side, Croatia the away side, and 0–1 is stored in that order. A later meeting would remain a separate event record.
Personnel: how the starting XI changed
FactPanama changed 1 starters from its previous match; Croatia changed 3 starters. Continuity is calculated from confirmed starters only.
FactPanama's new starters include José Fajardo; Croatia's new starters include Marin Pongračić, Mateo Kovačić, Marco Pašalić. The names connect the continuity count to specific personnel.
The result: 0–1 and the decisive sequence
FactThe final score was Panama 0–1 Croatia. The verified scoring sequence was 54′ Ante Budimir. Score, sequence and line-up changes are facts; the mechanism inferred from them is labelled as analysis.
FactThe verification index for Panama versus Croatia fixes four fields: the 0–1 final score, the 2026 FIFA World Cup · Group L stage, the BMO Field location and 1 scoring events. Together they identify this match without borrowing context from another fixture.
FactNode 1: Ante Budimir scored for Croatia in minute 54, setting the ledger at 0–1
FactPanama's location key for this match is BMO Field, shared by Croatia; Panama's 0 goals and Croatia's 1 goals belong only to this venue and kick-off record.
Why this result made sense
AnalysisPanama versus Croatia, 0–1: Croatia converted the lead into the result. Aggregated player data shows a shot gap of 2 and a pass-completion gap of 5.7 percentage points; game-state management mattered more than any single possession number.