Pakistan, June 25 -- It was the first World Cup goal for Budimir, 34, and fifth in a competitive fixture for his country. Halftime substitute Ante Budimir scored in the 54th minute and Croatia eliminated Panama from World Cup contention with a tightly fought 1-0 victory in a Group L clash at Toronto on Tuesday. It was the first World Cup goal for Budimir, 34, and fifth in a competitive fixture for his country, all of those coming since 2023.

Croatia (1-1-0, 3 points) remain third in the group heading into the final matchday, but they can guarantee a top-two finish with a victory over Ghana in their final match on Saturday in Philadelphia.

Panama (0-2-0, 0 points) are still seeking their first point five matches into their World Cup hist...