Panama face Croatia with World Cup knockout hopes at stake

Panama face Croatia on June 23 in a match that likely decides who advances from Group L. After opening with that 7–1 demolition of Onda Azul, Carlos Queiroz's side now confront a win-or-go-home scenario against the 2018 finalists. Ismael Díaz and the squad have already made clear they are not here to be anyone's punching bag, and Zlatan Ibrahimović's dismissive television comments only sharpened that edge. A result against Croatia would flip the narrative on a group that also includes England and Ghana.