- Panama are third in Group L after a spirited 1-0 defeat to Ghana in their opening World Cup match.
- Croatia are fourth in Group L, having conceded four goals in their only away game so far - a 4-2 defeat to England.
- Croatia have won only one of their last three away matches (W1, L2), while Panama are in mixed form overall (W2, D1, L2).
Prideful Panama will provide a test for Croatia
Croatia are the strong favourites at 1.5 to beat Panama in their Group L fixture in Canada, which is understandable considering the gulf in talent between these nations. Panama are a well-drilled unit that will be full of beans after a tough opening-day defeat to the Black Stars and they can make a match of it at Toronto Stadium.
Thomas Christiansen has developed a disciplined, hard to break down squad since taking over as head coach in July 2020. The Panama squad are quick, particularly on the break and they set up in a compact, pragmatic shape to keep the opposition out and hit them on the counter.
With the pace and craft of José Fajardo to threaten in the final third and Adalberto Carrasquilla to provide energy and vision in the middle of the park, Christiansen's side can be very dangerous in transition. In their last two matches, they ground out a 1-1 draw at home to Bosnia and Herzegovina, while they fought to the bitter end in a 1-0 defeat to a superior Ghana team in the opening game.
Plenty of value in the 'overs'
Zlatko Dalic's Croatia have been relatively unimpressive, posting a record of two wins and three defeats in all competitions in that time. They beat Slovenia 2-1 in their home game, but were poor in defeats to Belgium and England.
The two-time World Cup semi-finalists, who will again be led by Dalic in 2026, have been built around the ability to dominate the midfield, be patient in build-up and create overloads in wide areas. In Ivan Perisic, they have one of the best creative players in world football right now, but they are not infallible and have shown defensive frailties.
Martin Baturina is the group's top scorer with one goal and can be a handful on his day, but he is a relatively raw player who is yet to impose himself on the Croatian attacking line. Croatia are superior in every area of the field and should win, but Panama are an honest, hard-working side and their defensive block is good enough to keep this fixture competitive.
The stylistic contrast between the two sides should lead to an open, fascinating tactical battle and the 'Over 2.5 goals' market at 1.98 looks a decent value punt given Croatia's defensive issues and Panama's counter-attacking set-up.
