Croatia (0-1) and Panama (0-1) will face off today at 7:00 p.m. ET at Toronto Stadium in Toronto, Canada.
Croatia is favored at a -190 price, with the over/under set at 2.5 (-120o / -102u) goals.
Let's get into my Croatia vs. Panama prediction.
Panama vs Croatia Prediction
Pick: Halftime Result: Croatia
My Panama vs Croatia best bet is for Croatia to hold the lead at halftime. Zlatko Dalic's side showed they can start strong against elite competition and will look to impose their will early against an opponent they are heavily favored to beat.
Panama vs Croatia Odds
| Croatia Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +150 | 2.5 -120o / -102u | -190 |
| Panama Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -190 | 2.5 -120o / -102u | +550 |
Panama vs Croatia World Cup Preview, Betting Analysis
This match is critical for Croatia's campaign. After a 4-2 defeat to England, they need a victory to repair their goal difference and keep their qualification hopes firmly alive. Panama enters with confidence after a solid performance against Ghana, where they displayed an organized and athletic style. However, their biggest weakness was in front of goal, where they underperformed their Expected Goals (xG) by a significant margin, marking one of the worst attacking efficiencies of the opening round.
Croatia’s technical superiority should be the deciding factor. While the fitness of veteran Luka Modrić is a consideration after he was substituted early against England, Croatia has young talent ready to step up. The team was ruthless in front of goal in their opener and will likely control the tempo against Panama's physical approach.
This will be the first-ever meeting between Croatia and Panama. Historically, Croatia has a surprisingly poor record against CONCACAF teams in this competition, with just one win, one draw, and four losses in six encounters. Panama, in their only previous tournament appearance, lost both their matches against European opposition, including a heavy 6-1 defeat to England. This history suggests that while Croatia has struggled against teams from this region, Panama has been overwhelmed by top European sides.
Check out the best soccer odds before making your Panama vs Croatia picks.
Panama vs Croatia Picks, Parlay
- Halftime Result: Croatia (+105 at bet365)
- Croatia Over 1.5 Goals (-139 at bet365)
Croatia came out strong in their opening match against England, entering the break level at 2-2 against one of the tournament favorites. A similar first-half performance should be more than enough to establish a lead against Panama. While Croatia only generated 0.37 xG in that first half, the urgency of needing a win should lead to a more aggressive and controlling start here. This value pick is supported by their qualifying campaign, where they scored in the first half in seven of eight matches.
Panama, conversely, had a very slow start against Ghana. They managed just three shots in the first 45 minutes, with only one on target, accumulating a meager 0.11 xG. This suggests they may struggle to contain an early offensive push from a technically superior Croatian side that is desperate for points.
The second pick, for Croatia to score over 1.5 goals, also presents strong value. Despite a low xG of just 0.70 against England, Croatia proved to be incredibly clinical, converting their chances to score twice. They should find far more goalscoring opportunities against Panama. In their eight qualification matches, Croatia scored more than 1.5 goals in six of them, averaging an impressive 3.25 goals per game. While Panama’s defense held Ghana to just two shots on target, they still conceded a late goal, and facing the quality of Croatia is a significant step up.
Panama vs Croatia Projected Lineups
Croatia Expected Lineup (3-4-2-1)
Goalkeeper: Livakovic
Defenders: Sutalo, Vuskovic, Gvardiol
Midfielders: Stanisic, Pasalic, Modric, Perisic
Forwards: Baturina, Sucic; Musa
Panama Expected Lineup (3-4-3)
Goalkeeper: Mosquera
Defenders: Andrade, Cordoba, Ramos
Midfielders: Blackman, Barcenas, Harvey, Murillo
Forwards: Rodriguez, Waterman, Martinez
Panama vs Croatia Weather
According to Accuweather, it will be sunny and "pleasant" in Toronto today with a high of 76 degrees and low of 58 degrees.
